EC bars Dilip Ghosh from campaigning for 24 hours over Sitalkuchi remarks

The ban will be in effect from 7 pm April 15 to 7 pm April 16

The EC order said the Commission "sternly warns" Dilip Ghosh and advises him to desist from using such statements.: Getty Images

TT Bureau, Agencies   |   Calcutta, New Delhi   |  15.04.21: The Election Commission Thursday evening imposed a 24-hour campaign ban on the BJP's Bengal president Dilip Ghosh for his "there will be Sitalkuchi in several places" remarks.

The order said the Commission "sternly warns" Ghosh and advises him to desist from using such statements while making public utterances during the period when the Model Code of Conduct is in force.

The ban will be in effect from 7 pm April 15 to 7 pm April 16, during which Ghosh will not be allowed to campaign.

The Commission had on Tuesday issued a notice to Ghosh for his alleged remarks after four people were killed when central forces opened fire during polling at Sitalkuchi in Cooch Behar district.

The Trinamul Congress had approached the Commission against Ghosh.

The notice cited Ghosh's alleged remarks that "if someone crosses his limits then you have seen what happened in Sitalkuchi. There will be Sitalkuchi in several places.”

The poll panel’s move comes days after it had imposed a similar ban on Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for 24 hours for her calls to minorities not to divide their votes and to women to gherao central force personnel who intimidate them.

Mamata had responded to the gag order by declaring she would sit in dharna near the Gandhi statue in Calcutta on Tuesday, the penultimate day of campaigning for the fifth phase of polling on Saturday when 45 seats, including Dum Dum, Bidhannagar and Rajarhat-Newtown, vote.

Announcing the campaign ban on Mamata, Election Commission secretary Rakesh Kumar said: “Ms Banerjee in her reply has yet again conveniently left out key parts of her speech, perhaps due to selective amnesia….”

The commission “sternly warns Ms Mamata Banerjee and advises her to desist from using such statements while making public utterances during the period when the model code of conduct is in force”, the order added.