Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress has strongly objected to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's two-day visit to Bangladesh at a time when Assembly polls are being held in West Bengal. In a letter to the Election Commission of India, TMC has described the PM's tour as 'gross violation of democratic ethics' and one that was intended to 'influence the voting pattern'.
The TMC has written to the Election Commission alleging that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent visit to Bangladesh violated the model code of conduct in place for the West Bengal Assembly polls and some of his programmes there "intended to influence the voting pattern" in certain constituencies of the state.
PM Modi visited Bangladesh from March 26 to 27 to attend the celebrations of the 50th anniversary of the country's independence and the birth centenary of 'Bangabandhu' Sheikh Mujibur Rahman following an invitation from his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina.
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"We have no objection whatsoever to his visit to Bangladesh for this official purpose. After all, India played a critical role in the liberation of Bangladesh. West Bengal, in particular, made an immense contribution to the heroic struggle of our fellow Bengalis in (what was then) East Pakistan for freedom from the brutal regime in West Pakistan.
"However, the All lndia Trinamool Congress strongly objects to Shri Modi's programmes in Bangladesh on March 27. These had nothing to do with either the 50th anniversary of the independence of Bangladesh or the birth centenary of 'Bangabandhu'. Rather, they were solely and exclusively intended to influence the voting pattern in certain constituencies in the ongoing elections to the Legislative Assembly of West Bengal," the letter written by TMC Rajya Sabha MP Derek O'Brien stated
"No lndian Prime Minister has so brazenly indulged in an unethical and undemocratic act and violated the Model Code of Conduct by indirectly campaigning for his party from foreign soil," the letter dated March 28 and released on Tuesday, further added.
The TMC leader further alleged that the political motive behind Modi's visit is proven by the fact that he took along with him BJP MP from West Bengal Santanu Thakur, who holds no official position in the government of lndia.
(With PTI inputs)
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