Amid rising political tensions before the second phase of the West Bengal Assembly elections, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Saturday that she intends to file a legal case against Union Home Minister Amit Shah for his allegedly inflammatory remarks.
Speaking at a gathering in Hooghly, Banerjee stated, "We will initiate legal action against Amit Shah over his inflammatory remarks. As the Home Minister, he is not permitted to make such statements." Follow live election updates here.
This follows Banerjee’s criticism of Shah’s post-poll Friday warning to TMC workers that they would be made to “hang upside down,” as she insisted that the BJP’s “coercive tactics” would not appeal to Bengal’s electorate.
What sort of language is the Home Minister using? Saying that people will be hung upside down after the election is unacceptable. With such a mindset, you will never win Bengal—never! On Friday, Shah cautioned that severe measures would be taken against the alleged TMC party "goons."
Speaking at a public meeting in Arambagh, Shah delivered a sharp warning, stating that if the residents of Arambagh face any trouble on the 29th, the authorities will take strong action after May 5. "I am warning Didi's supporters not to leave their homes on the 29th. If the people of Arambagh are harassed on the 29th, after the 5th we will deal with them so harshly it will set them straight," Shah said.
Phase I polling for the Assembly elections ended at 6 pm on Thursday, with West Bengal registering a notably higher voter turnout of 91.78 per cent, according to the Election Commission of India.The strong voter turnout highlights a vigorous electoral process as polling concluded under stringent security measures across the constituencies. The second phase of voting is set for April 29, with the vote count scheduled for May 4.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday commended voters for the record turnout in the first phase of the West Bengal Assembly elections and lauded the Election Commission of India (ECI) and security forces for conducting a peaceful polling process.