Mayawati accuses EC of turning blind eye to Modi, Shah speeches

LUCKNOW: BSP national president Mayawati on Monday charged the Election Commission of India with “becoming deaf and blind” to the speeches of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah who were demanding votes on issues of national security and spreading hatred among communities.

BSP president Mayawati addresses a press conference after Election Commission banned her from campaigning for two days, in Lucknow, Monday, April 15, 2019. PTI

Shahira Naim
Tribune News Service
Lucknow, April 15

BSP national president Mayawati on Monday charged the Election Commission of India with “becoming deaf and blind” to the speeches of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah who were demanding votes on issues of national security and spreading hatred among communities.

Speaking to reporters at the party office regarding the ECI’s 48 hour ban on her Mayawati called the decision “sudden, unfortunate and uncalled for amounting to the murder of democracy”.

She said it appears that the real motive was to prevent her from addressing the proposed joint opposition rally at Agra on Tuesday, the last day for campaigning for the second phase of polling on April 18.

She said the ban on UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath would not affect the BJP as he is not the national president. “The ECI has given a free hand to the PM Modi and BJP national president Amit Shah to seek votes on the issue of national security and by spreading hatred. The ECI has not reacted as it has covered its eyes and ears,” she charged.

According to her, the notice served by the ECI to her on April 11 did not mention that her speech was inflammatory meant to cause hatred between communities. She said it only mentioned that it has appealed for votes on the basis of religion.

Charging that no CD of her speech was provided by the EC, Mayawati said she had satisfactorily responded to the notice and the decision today was a bolt from the blue and would be remembered as a ‘black day’.

She appealed to her supporters to be present at the Agra rally in large numbers where SP president Akhilesh Yadav and RLD president Ajit Singh would be present.

“Some representative of the BSP would also speak on my behalf. Eventually ensure the victory of the SP-BSP-RLD mahagathbandhan to prove that the voice of the marginalised cannot be suppressed,” declared Mayawati.

Earlier in the evening, she had asked her party workers and office bearers to watch her press conference on news channels.