BSF threatening voters: TMC to EC

KOLKATA: The ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) in West Bengal has lodged a complaint with the Election Commission of India alleging that the Border Security Force (BSF) was threatening people living in areas in the state bordering Bangladesh, asking them to vote for a particular political party. While the party did not name the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), it implied that it was referring to the national party which has emerged its main rival in the state.

The BJP, meanwhile has alleged that at least 400,000500,000 Rohingyas, who illegally entered the country through the Indo-Bangla border, have been included in the voters’ list and urged the poll panel to order a special audit of the electoral roll.

Elections in the state are likely in the first half of the year.

“BSF personnel are going to border villages and threatening villagers to vote for a particular political party. Villagers are being told that the state administration won’t be able to help them and that they would be left at the mercy of BSF. We have taken up the matter with the ECI,” said Partha Chatterjee, TMC general secretary and state education minister, after meeting the Chief Election Commissioner.

BSF, however, has refuted the charges saying that the allegations were baseless and far from truth.

“BSF is a professional border guarding force. We have actively checked on illegal infiltration and smuggling and criminals involved in such activities have been brought to book. The statements made by Chatterjee, are without any basis and far from truth,” said a statement issued by the force.