Kolkata, Oct. 6 -- MAITC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Tuesday challenged Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the Election Commission of India (ECI) to release CCTV footage of the counting process from 100 Assembly constituencies, alleging irregularities in the electoral process.
Speaking during the INDIA Bloc's protest in Delhi demanding Kumar's removal, Banerjee said he could provide a list of 100 constituencies and challenged the Commission to make public five minutes of footage from the nine-hour period of counting at each centre.
"If they are so confident that there was nothing to hide and no wrongdoing, then release the CCTV footage of the counting process. At least 5 minutes of the 9 hours records. Let the evidence speak for itself," Banerjee said.
He specifically referred to constituencies including Bhowanipore, Raina and Satgachia, challenging the ECI to release their counting-centre footage. Banerjee also accused the BJP of being confident of winning elections because it believes Kumar is in a position to help it "steal votes". He said the BJP was unconcerned about unemployment or rising prices of gas, petrol, kerosene and vegetables.
Reacting to BJP leader Sambit Patra's remark that "Lord Ganesh, not Gyanesh, is helping the BJP," Banerjee said, "If someone wants to give Gyanesh Kumar the status of Lord Ganesha, that is a separate matter." He added that the BJP had used the same politics of the Ram Temple but lost in Ayodhya.
"This time they have brought Lord Ganesha into the picture as well, and their defeat in Maharashtra is certain," Banerjee said.
Banerjee further demanded Kumar's resignation and arrest, alleging that the SIR process had curtailed voters' rights. He was later detained by Delhi Police along with several other INDIA Bloc leaders during the march towards the ECI office.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.