‘If he’s Singham, I’m Pushpa’: TMC protests after UP-cadre IPS Ajay Pal Sharma’s warning on voter intimidation | India Information
NEW DELHI: A political row erupted in West Bengal’s South 24 Parganas on Tuesday as Trinamool Congress (TMC) supporters staged protests, accusing Election Fee-appointed police observer Ajay Pal Sharma of “intimidating” occasion staff forward of the second section of polling.Protests broke out in Falta, the place supporters raised slogans outdoors the residence and election workplace of TMC candidate Jahangir Khan towards the cop. Senior occasion leaders and state ministers alleged that the Uttar Pradesh-cadre IPS officer was overstepping his position.Additionally learn: Who’s Ajay Pal Sharma? UP IPS officer with 500+ encounters who went viral after Bengal ballot warning videoThe flare-up follows Sharma’s go to to the world after the Election Fee obtained complaints that Khan’s associates have been allegedly gathering voter identification playing cards and threatening electors. Through the go to, Sharma, who earned the title in Uttar Pradesh as “Singham” for his powerful policing model, warned that strict motion could be taken if any try was made to affect voters.In a video going viral, Ajay Pal Sharma was seen warning Jehangir Khan’s household: “Inform him, we’ll deal correctly with him if his males proceed to threaten…don’t cry or remorse it then.”Learn extra: UP IPS officer Ajay Pal Sharma’s video goes viral after raid linked to TMC candidate Jahangir KhanResponding sharply, Khan invoked common movie characters to counter the officer’s picture. “That is Bengal; if he’s ‘Singham’, I’m ‘Pushpa’. No quantity of menace or coercion by BJP-appointed police officers will probably be allowed right here,” he mentioned, alleging that the officer and accompanying forces had tried to strain him and his supporters.Additionally talking to IANS, the candidate from Falta constituency mentioned, “Round 3 PM. yesterday, he got here and tried to threaten my safety employees at this occasion workplace. Then he went and tried to threaten my household. Is that this the responsibility of a police observer?”“If he has to say one thing he has to inform the SP or IC. There is no such thing as a rule of the ECI that claims {that a} police observer can go and threaten folks and candidates at their dwelling. To assist the BJP these individuals are doing unlawful issues. They’re making an attempt to threatened TMC staff and leaders as a result of they know that they will not win, however we’re not afraid,” he alleged additional.TMC leaders objected to the officer’s conduct. State minister Chandrima Bhattacharya questioned whether or not an observer was authorised to hold out late-night visits and challenge warnings with out proof. One other minister, Aroop Biswas, mentioned observers have been anticipated to stay impartial and any try and act past constitutional limits could be challenged legally.Sharma is among the many 95 observers deployed by the Election Fee to make sure free and truthful polling within the second section. Falta falls underneath the Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha constituency represented by TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee.
