Mamata Banerjee’s TMC moved the ECI against Abhijit Gangopadhyay. (File)
Former Calcutta High Court judge Abhijit Gangopadhyay, as per the translation of his remarks submitted by the TMC, allegedly asked what Mamata Banerjee’s “rate” was
The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Friday served notice to former Calcutta High Court judge Abhijit Gangopadhyay, who joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after resigning from the post in March, over his “improper, injudicious and undignified” remarks against West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Mamata Banerjee.
In the three-page order, the commission had asked the BJP candidate from Tamluk in Purba Medinipur to reply by 5 pm on May 20. The seat will go to polls on May 25.
The ECI, in its notice, said: “The comment has been found to be improper, injudicious, beyond dignity in every sense of term, in bad taste and prima facie violative of the provisions of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) and Commission’s advisories.”
The notice was served based on a complaint dated May 16 from the TMC, in which the party alleged that during a public meeting in Haldia on May 15, the BJP candidate made objectionable remarks. The former judge, as per the translation of his remarks submitted by the TMC, allegedly asked what Banerjee’s “rate” was.
The ECI has asked him to reply as to why appropriate action for violation of MCC should not be taken against him. “In the event of no response from your side within the stipulated time, it will be presumed that you have nothing to say in the matter and the Election Commission will take appropriate action or decision in the matter without making any further reference to you,” it added.
In April, Congress leader Supriya Shrinate was also served notice for a similar post against actor-turned-politician Kangana Ranaut. The Congress leader had posted a semi-nude picture of a woman with a caption in Hindi saying, “Will someone tell what are the rates in Mandi?” The post has since been deleted. The poll body had censured Shrinate for her post.
Shrinate, just minutes after the social media post went viral, issued a video clarification saying, “Many people have access to my Facebook and Instagram accounts. Someone from them made an extremely inappropriate post today. As soon as I found out, I deleted that post. Everyone who knows me also knows very well that I can never make personal and indecent comments towards any woman. I want to know how this happened.”
This is the second time a BJP leader had been served notice for comments against Banerjee. BJP MP Dilip Ghosh was served a notice in March.
Ghosh, BJP’s Bardhaman-Durgapur Lok Sabha seat candidate, had mocked Banerjee’s family background. “When Didi (Banerjee) goes to Goa, she becomes Goa’s daughter, in Tripura, she says I am Tripura’s daughter. Decide who is your father, this is not right.”
