WB: As campaigning for LS Polls ends tonight, here are major controversies which marred the process
ABP News Bureau | 16 May 2019 12:37 PM (IST)
The electoral process in West Bengal was filled with incidents of violence and various controversies, staring from phase-1 of polling. Below are several incidents which stole the lime light and made headlines during polling process for 2019 General elections
New Delhi: The campaigning for the last phase of Lok Sabha elections in West Bengal, where the polling for phase -7 will take place on May 19, comes to an end on Thursday after Election Commission banned campaigning post Thursday night after several incidents of violence in were reported in the state. The last day of polling is set to witness rallies by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the timing of which has irked the opposition and has attracted a lot of reactions. The electoral process in West Bengal was filled with incidents of violence and various controversies, staring from phase-1 of polling. Below are several incidents which stole the lime light and made headlines during polling process for 2019 General elections in the state: BJP leader Babul Supriyo’s car vandalized: Reports of violence from Jemua and Barabani areas of Bardhaman East constituency were reported, as the voting for phase 4 was underway. In Barabani, BJP candidate and central minister Babul Supriyo's vehicle was vandalised allegedly by TMC workers outside a polling station. According to reports, Supriyo had a tiff with polling officials inside a booth, following which TMC supporters attacked his vehicle. While in Jemua, voters fled from a polling station after being threatened by miscreants. According to senior election official, clashes broke out between the supporters of rival parties in Nanoor, Rampurhat, Nalhati and Siuri areas of Birbhum seat, injuring several people on the two sides. In Dubrajpur area of the constituency, voters allegedly engaged in a scuffle with the central forces when they were barred from entering the booths with mobile phones. Security personnel reportedly opened fire in the air to control the mob, following which polling was stalled in the booths. Violence during phase 5 of voting: Sporadic incidents of violence were reported during polling in the fifth phase of Lok Sabha election in seven seats of West Bengal on Monday. Incidents like clashes between TMC and BJP workers hurling of bombs, injury of a candidate due to lathi charge by central forces, manhandling of a contestant and beating up of a polling agent were reported. A scuffle between Barrackpore seat's BJP candidate Arjun Singh and central forces was reported when the former TMC MLA tried to enter a booth following allegations that voters were not being allowed to exercise their franchise there, the official said. Amit Shah’s chopper denied permission to land in West Bengal: Bharatiya Janta Party boss Amit Shah’s chopper was denied permission by Mamata government to land in West Bengal, where Shah was scheduled to address rally in Jadavpur on May 13. Accusing the West Bengal government of "replacing democracy with dictatorship", the BJP said the Election Commission has become a "mute spectator" to the Trinamool Congress's alleged undemocratic means to target the party. The TMC, however, rebutted the allegations, claiming the BJP had cancelled the rally fearing a low turnout. "The allegations are completely baseless. We have nothing to do with it. They themselves have cancelled the rally as they were afraid that the rally might turn out to be a flop show," TMC secretary general Partha Chatterjee said. BJP candidate Bharati Ghosh’s car vandalized: BJP’s Ghatal candidate Bharati Ghosh, who was once a close aide of Mamata Banerjee, was allegedly attacked by Trinamool workers on Sunday morning in West Bengal's Keshpur. One of her security personnel received severe injuries on his head during the scuffle on May 12, when the polling for phase 6 of elections was taking place. BJP worker arrested for sharing Mamata’s morphed photo: BJP activist Priyanka Sharma was arrested for sharing a morphed photo of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Facebook. In the photo, she had allegedly photoshopped Banerjee's face on to actor Priyanka Chopra's picture from the MET Gala event in New York. Her arrest was followed by protests from the BJP and other social media users. She was later released on bail and written complaint. BJP, TMC trade charges on vandalisation of Vidyasagar statue: The vandalisation of a bust of 19th century social reformer Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar in Kolkata and subsequent clashes triggered a fierce blame game between the BJP and the Trinamool Congress on Wednesday, May 15, days ahead of the last phase of Lok Sabha polls. BJP Chief Amit Shah, at a press conference alleged that Mamata Banerjee's TMC was involved in vandalising Vidyasagar's bust and unleashing violence during his roadshow in Kolkata on Tuesday as part of a "conspiracy" to blame the BJP. On its part, the TMC released videos to claim that "BJP goons" damaged the statue and "hurt Bengali pride". The Mamata Banerjee-led party alleged the videos not only establish what the BJP did, but proved that Shah is a "liar" and a "dhokebaaz" (betrayer). Violence during Amit Shah roadshow: Supporters of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Trinamool Congress (TMC) fought pitched battles on the streets of Kolkata during a massive road show by former's president Amit Shah, who escaped unhurt but was forced to cut short the jamboree and had to be escorted to safety by the police on May 15. Parts of the city plunged into a welter of violence as his convoy was attacked with stones by alleged TMC supporters from inside the hostel of Vidyasagar College, triggering a clash between supporters of the two parties.