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Kolkata, Nov 20 (IANS) A senior and high-profile member of the West Bengal Cabinet on Thursday launched an attack against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar without naming him and indirectly accused him of taking advantage of prized jobs and lucrative postings for two of his close relatives.
West Bengal Agriculture and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay said, “The Election Commission of India (ECI) is an autonomous constitutional unit. It is supposed to be independent and impartial. But two close relatives of the person heading the unit have been awarded prized jobs and luxurious postings. Anyone who takes bribes or loses his spine has nothing to offer.”
BJP leaders in West Bengal criticized Chattopadhyay for his comments indirectly targeting the CEC.
Arjun Singh, former BJP Lok Sabha member from Barrackpore Lok Sabha constituency in North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal, has challenged the minister to go to the Supreme Court and prove his allegations against the CEC there.
Jagannath Chattopadhyay, a journalist-turned-journalist and state general secretary of the BJP in West Bengal, said the minister’s comments prove the Trinamool Congress’ fear over the ongoing Special Intensification Amendment (SIR) in West Bengal, which will result in deletion of names of many illegal Bangladeshi and Rohingya infiltrators.
He said, “There is a race of defamation going on among Trinamool Congress leaders to remain in the good books of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.”
Earlier, several Trinamool Congress leaders, including the Chief Minister and party general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, had accused the Election Commission of India (ECI) of playing into the hands of the BJP and creating an atmosphere of panic in West Bengal in the name of SIR.
Both have reportedly blamed the commission for suicides and suicide attempts in the state due to the fear of their names being struck off from the voter list after the vetting process.
However, this is the first time that a senior member of the West Bengal Cabinet has made such a personal attack against the CEC.
–IANS
Source/Red