Kolkata, March 9 – Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar faced protests and demonstrations with black flags and “Go-Back” posters by Trinamool Congress activists on Monday morning while he was leaving after offering prayers at the iconic Goddess Kali temple in Kalighat, South Kolkata, which is very close to the residence of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
Before attending to his schedule for the two-day visit of the full Bench of the Election Commission of India (ECI), which would begin with a series of meetings with delegations from different registered political parties at 10 AM on Monday, Kumar went to the Kalighat temple to offer prayers.
However, as he stepped out of the temple, he was met by protests by Trinamool Congress activists who had gathered there with black flags and posters bearing slogans like “Go-Back.” The protesting activists of the ruling party also shouted slogans against Kumar and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) program.
However, Kumar remained calm and left the place with a smile. He also refused to comment on the protests to the media.
"I extend my greetings to all the people of West Bengal. May Goddess Kali bless you all," said CEC Kumar and remained silent when asked by the media about the protests.
In fact, after arriving in Kolkata on Sunday night with other members of the Commission’s full Bench, he also faced protests upon leaving the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport in the city.
On Sunday night, activists from both the Trinamool Congress and the CPI(M) staged separate protests. The state leadership of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had claimed that this proved that there was a secret understanding between the Trinamool Congress and the CPI(M) regarding the SIR issue.
In fact, both the Trinamool Congress and the CPI(M) have a common demand regarding the SIR issue. Both parties have urged the Commission not to announce the polling dates for West Bengal unless the ongoing judicial review of voter documents identified under the "logical discrepancy" category is completed.