Muslim Vote Split Remark: EC Issues Notice to Mamata, Wants Response In 48 Hrs

Kolkata: The Election Commission (EC) on Wednesday issued a notice to Mamata Banerjee over her for her ‘Muslim vote split’ remark during an election meeting on April 3.

The West Bengal chief minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo, who had appealed to Muslim voters to unite against the BJP, has been given 48 hours to respond, failing which action will be taken against her.

“I am requesting my minority brothers and sisters with folded hands, don’t divide the minority votes after listening to the devil person who had taken money from the BJP. He passes many communal statements and initiate clashes between the Hindu and the Muslims,” Mamata had said during her speech at Tarakeswar in Hooghly district.

She had further said that “he is one of the apostles of the BJP, a BJP comrade. The comrades of CPM and BJP are roaming around with the money given by BJP to divide the minority votes.”

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that Mamata’s appeal to Muslims proves that she has lost the confidence of her vote bank.

“Recently you appealed for Muslim unity and said their votes should not divide. It shows that Muslim vote bank, which you considered as your strength, has slipped out of our hands. It shows that you have lost the poll,” Modi said while addressing a rally in Cooch Behar.

“Didi, you are abusive towards the Election Commission. But had we asked the Hindus to unite and vote for BJP, we would have got eight or ten notices from the Election Commission,” the PM went on to add sarcastically.