Farmers Movement Archive

BJP accuses Narkatia RJD MLA of hiding facts from EC, seeks annulment of election

PATNA: State BJP chief Dr Sanjay Kumar Jaiswal on Tuesday said the Supreme Court and the Election Commission should take suo motu cognizance of the bid of RJD MLA from Narkatia Shamim Ahmad to hide from the authorities concerned the two criminal cases pending against him. He also pleaded for the annulment of Ahmad’s election. Ahmad filed his nomination papers on October 19 for contesting the election from Narkatia, Dr Jaiswal said, adding that he, however, withheld the information regarding two criminal cases pending against him from the notary for his personal affidavit. As per the Election Commission order, the details about the criminal cases should have been noted in the affidavit and other prescribed formats, while the Supreme Court order also warranted that they be published in the newspaper or be made public through TV new channels, which was not done, Dr Jaiswal said. He also said the apex court should treat the stance of the RJD MLA concerned as contempt of its own standing order with regard to making the pending criminal case public by anyone who decides to contest an election. The apex court should immediately annul the election of Ahmad, Dr Jaiswal also pleaded. As a matter of fact, a state BJP delegation led by the party’s state convener of its election cell, Radhika Raman, submitted a petition to the state chief electoral officer on Tuesday, urging him to take suo motu cognizance of Ahmad’s bid to hide the facts from the returning officer and district election officer. Ahmad even withheld the information from the Election Commission or the state chief electoral officer by not mentioning them in the mandatory relevant formats as had been prescribed by the Election Commission, besides not mentioning them in the personal affidavit that he attached with the nomination papers, Dr Jaiswal said. Incidentally, Ahmad furnished the information regarding the two criminal cases pending against him to the RJD to which he belongs. Following this, the RJD put the information about his criminal cases on its official website, Dr Jaiswal said, adding that it appeared strange that RJD made it public, but Ahmad himself withheld the information from the Election Commission and violated the Supreme Court order. Despite repeated attempts on his phone numbers, Ahmad could not be reached for his comments on the BJP allegations. BJP gearing up for PM’s Mann Ki Baat: As to enlightening the farmers and others concerned about the three farm laws enacted by the Centre, Dr Jaiswal said the party has mobilized the state’s farmers and also asked the party’s rank and file to listen to the Mann Ki Baat programme of PM Narendra Modi to be broadcast on December 25, the national day of good governance. He said the state BJP leaders have already addressed the farmers and party workers on the three farm laws at Kisan rallies in 93 assembly constituencies. Around 2.5 lakh farmers have been apprised of the three farm laws through the rallies, he added.

The Times of India

2020-12-23

Patna