CPI(M) politburo member Nilotpal Basu on Wednesday wrote a letter to Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sunil Arora drawing the CEC's attention to the appointment of BSF DG as special police observer for Lok Sabha poll for the state of West Bengal and Jharkh and the speech of Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Deb.
In his letter, the senior CPI(M) leader said that his party was deeply disturbed by the report that BSF DG K K Sharma has appointed by the Election Commission of India as the overall special police observer for the elections to the Parliament for the states of West Bengal and Jharkhand.
He added that Sharma, who has now retired, attended a two-day event in Kolkata which was organized by Seemanta Chetna Manch, part of RSS-backed Seema Jagran Manch. Basu claimed that Seema Jagran Manch is a pan India body which aims to instil 'patriotism’ in the border areas across the country. He also attached a photograph of Sharma attending the event in his letter to the EC. Basu said that Sharma's appointment is patently questionable and would raise the question of political partisanship. He urged the CEC to reconsider the decision and remove Sharma.
Drawing attention towards the video clipping of Tripura CM Biplab Deb, Basu said that in the video Deb can be clearly heard saying that the elections to the two parliamentary seats from Tripura will be different from the past and the chief minister is trying to threaten the opposition by saying this. The CPI(M) leader noted that the Tripura CM made this statement in complete senses. He also sent a pen drive to the CEC containing the video clipping as supporting material. Basu said that this is a clear violation of misusing the CM's office to threaten free, fair and peaceful polls.
Basu has urged the CEC to take urgent action in both these matters.
