The Election Commission on Thursday sent a notice to BJP candidate from Nandigram Suvendu Adhikari in connection with a “hate speech” complaint against him.
The EC said it received a complaint from CPI(ML) Politburo member Kavita Krishnan alleging that Mr. Adhikari had delivered a hate speech in Nandigram on March 29.
The EC quoted Mr. Adhikari as saying: “You are not giving votes to Begum. If you vote for Begum there will be mini Pakistan…A Dawood Ibrahim has come up in your locality.”
ADVERTISEMENT
Mr. Adhikari, a former Trinamool Congress MP who joined the BJP in 2020, contested the Nandigram seat against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
The EC said it found Mr. Adhikari’s speech to be in violation of the model code of conduct clauses and asked him to explain his stand within 24 hours.