Kolkata, Sept. 18 -- Opposition parties across the country have condemned the Election Commission's decision to freeze the All India Trinamool Congress' (AITC) name and 'flowers and grass' symbol, with several leaders accusing the poll panel of undermining democratic values.
Calling the development a "black day in our democratic history", Mamata All India Trinamool Congress (MAITC) supremo Mamata Banerjee described
the decision as "unconstitutional, illegal and undemocratic".
Rahul Gandhi, in a post on X, said: "First Shiv Sena, then NCP, and now Trinamool Congress."
He alleged that the BJP and the Election Commission were joining forces to split parties and take away their election symbols.
He described the developments as "vote theft", "government theft" and "party theft", saying the fight was for every political party and voter seeking free and fair elections.
Mamata, referring to Rahul's call, said the Opposition would stand united against what she described as a threat to democracy.
Congress general secretary KC Venugopal strongly criticised the ECI, alleging that it had become a "BJP puppet" and demanded that the traditional symbol be restored to Mamata's faction.
Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal posted: "Modi ji's birthday gift to the country. Will they win the election this way?" Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, who has maintained a cordial relationship with Mamata Banerjee, also reacted to the development. In a post, he wrote: "And there's nothing more to say. just this question: Have the affidavits we submitted to the Election Commission been received?"
Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) leader Saurav Das alleged that the ECI had become a "government stooge" and said the time for its Commissioners to be held accountable was approaching.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.