Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Tuesday, 30 March, registered a complaint with the Election Commission of India against Prime Minister Narendra Modi for “gross violation of democratic ethics and the Model Code of Conduct”, during his recent visit to Bangladesh.
“No Indian Prime Minister has so brazenly indulged in such unethical and undemocratic act, violating the model code by indirectly campaigning for his party from foreign soil,” the letter read.
The complaint letter, signed by TMC Rajya Sabha leader, Derek O’Brien was addressed to EC Commissioner Sunil Arora alleging that the PM’s 27 March trip to Bangladesh “had nothing to do with either the the 50th anniversary of the independence of Bangladesh or the birth centenary of ‘Bangabandhu’”.
“Rather, they were solely and exclusively intended to influence the voting pattern in certain constituencies in the ongoing elections to the Assembly of West Bengal,” stated the letter.
Took Only BJP MP
TMC’s complaint to the EC noted that PM Modi took Santanu Thakur, a BJP MP on the Bangladesh visit who holds no official position in the government of India, instead of an all-party representative or members of any other party like TMC or Congress.
PM Modi visited Orakundi, the birthplace of Matua sect founder Harichand Thakur, which was extensively featured by the media, giving the party leverage with the Matua community, a dominant voter base in North 24-Parganas, as the West Bengal elections have rolled out.
TMC’s complaint urged the EC to “censure” and take “deterrent punitive action” against PM Modi for misusing his official position to interfere in the West Bengal elections from foreign soil.
PM Modi on Friday, 26 March, arrived in Bangladesh for a two-day tour, his first visit to a foreign country since the COVID-19 outbreak. He was received by Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina from Hazrat ShahJalal International Airport in Dhaka, and participated in the National Day programme in Dhaka.
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