BSF threatening voters in border areas: TMC complains to CEC

Ruling Trinamool Congress inWest Bengal on Thursday met the full bench of the ElectionCommission of India (ECI) and alleged that the BSF isthreatening people in the border areas of the state to casttheir votes in favour of a particular political party.

The Border Security Force (BSF), however, denied theTMC's allegation as ''baseless'' and ''far from the truth''.

The full bench of the ECI, led by Chief ElectionCommissioner Sunil Arora, arrived in the state on Wednesdayevening on a three-day visit ahead of the assembly polls, thedates of which are yet to be announced.

''We have informed the CEC and other ECI officials thatthe BSF is threatening voters in the border areas. We havereceived inputs that officers of the paramilitary force arevisiting various villages and asking people to cast theirvotes in favour of a particular political party.

''This is a dangerous situation and the ECI must lookinto it,'' TMC secretary-general Partha Chatterjee toldreporters after meeting the ECI delegation here.

Chatterjee also alleged that the BSF personnel weretelling the villagers that ''none but us will remain in theborder areas throughout the year to look after you''.

Denying the TMC's allegations, the BSF said it is aprofessional border guarding force actively checking illegalinfiltration and smuggling.

''The statements given by West Bengal ministers ParthaChatterjee and Firhad Hakim, levelling allegations against theBSF, are without any basis and far from any truth. The BSFstands firmly committed to its motto 'duty unto death' at alltimes,'' a statement issued by the force's South BengalFrontier said.

The BSF is deployed along West Bengal's 2,217-kmborder with Bangladesh.

Reacting to the controversy, BJP state chief DilipGhosh said that the BSF only protects the borders and nofinger should be pointed at the force.

''Those levelling the allegations know better whatprompted them to say such things,'' Ghosh said after meetingthe ECI delegation.

He said the BJP urged the ECI for the deployment ofcentral forces in each booth during the elections.

''The party also informed the ECI about the abnormalrise in the number of voters possibly due to the inclusion ofinfiltrators in the list and urged the poll panel to look intothe matter,'' Ghosh said.

CPI (M) leader Rabin Deb said the Left party urged theECI for the effective utilisation of the central forces.

''We urged the ECI to ensure a conducive atmosphere forholding free and fair elections,'' he said.

The ECI officials are meeting the representatives ofvarious political parties and holding discussions withofficials of central and state regulatory agencies duringtheir three-day visit.

A review meeting will also be held with the divisionalcommissioners and district election officers, sources in thestate poll panel said.