Trinamool demands Modi’s arrest

Keeping up the heat on BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, Trinamool Congress on Monday wrote to Election Commission seeking action against him alleging that he has violated the model code by ‘seeking vote in the name of religion’ and party chief Mamata Banerjee renewed her demand for his arrest.

“TMC has written today to the Election Commission asking for action against Modi for seeking vote in the name of religion, spreading communal disharmony and breaking the model code of conduct,” the party’s national spokesperson Derek O’Brien told PTI.

Trinamool, he said, has obtained footage of

>Modi’s rally at Faizabad in Uttar Pradesh on Monday where along the side his portrait on the main backdrop were visuals of a place of worship.

Addressing an election meeting at Bongaon in North 24 Paraganas district bordering Bangladesh during the day, Ms. Banerjee said “The person who is talking about racial riots, he has no right to become the Prime Minister. This is a violation of the model code of conduct. Instead he should be sent to jail with ropes tied to his waist. He should be arrested.”

Ms. Banerjee, who did not name Mr. Modi, told the rally “(He) has become a gas balloon. Punch it, the gas will come out and the balloon will get squeezed.”

Ms. Banerjee, who had on Sunday accused Mr. Modi of inflaming the situation in Assam’s BTAD areas where violence has claimed 34 lives, blamed him today of trying to divide Bengalis and non-Bengali in Bengal.

She did not refer to his “ >illegal Bangladeshi immigrants” remark but said “Touch them and then you will see. We will fight every inch.”

“(He is) Insulting the people of Bengal,” Ms. Banerjee said.

On an earlier occasion she had claimed that >Mr. Modi did not know history .

“He does not know that speaking in Bangla does not make one a Bangladeshi. Modi wants to divide Bengalis and non-Bengalis. Anyone who speaks in Bangla across India is branded a Bangladeshi. This is discrimination,” she had said.