PM's Bangladesh visit violated Model Code: TMC writes to EC seeking punitive action

Credit: PTI

New Delhi: The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has registered a complaint with the Election Commission of India against Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his recent visit to Bangladesh.

The party claimed that the visit was intended to influence the ongoing assembly elections in West Bengal.

In a letter to the EC, TMC said that they have no objection to Modi's visit to Bangladesh for official purpose but strongly objects to his programmes on March 27 as they had nothing to do either with the 50th anniversary of the independence of the country or the birth centenary of 'Bangbandhu' (Sheikh Mujibur Rahman).

"They (PM's March 27 programmes) were solely and exclusively intended to influence the voting pattern in certain constituencies in the ongoing elections to the Legislative Assembly of West Bengal," TMC said in the letter.

TMC alleged that the PM has grossly misused his official position to interfere from foreign soil in the election process in West Bengal.

"No Prime Minister has so brazenly in an unethical and undemocratic act, and violated the Model Code of Conduct, by indirectly campaigning for his party from foreign soil," it added.

The party shared a sample report of media coverage of Modi's visits to the religious shrines in Bangladesh.

Trinamool Congress (TMC) registers a complaint with Election Commission over, "Gross violation of democratic ethics and the Model Code of Conduct by Prime Minister during his visit to Bangladesh." pic.twitter.com/S1dDiejAqt

— ANI (@ANI) March 30, 2021

"The political motive behind Modi's visit to Orakandi in Bangladesh is proven by the fact that he took along with him Shantanu Thakur, BJP MP from West Bengal, who holds no official position in the Government of India," read the letter.

TMC demanded that ECI not only censure him but also take "punitive action against him so that he dares not repeat such misconduct in future".