New Delhi, March 16 The Election Commission's decision to transfer West Bengal's chief secretary and DGP shortly after announcing the dates for the Assembly elections triggered a political uproar on Monday.
While the opposition parties accused the poll panel of acting at the behest of the BJP at the Centre, the saffron party retorted, alleging that the opposition was attempting to undermine constitutional institutions.
Speaking to reporters inside the Parliament complex, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav alleged that officers are routinely removed in states where the BJP is not in power.
"Whenever elections are held, and if the state government is not run by the ruling party in Delhi, the first thing they do is remove the DGP and the chief secretary. The BJP leaders must have deliberately got these officers removed by coordinating with the Central government and the Election Commission," he alleged.
Referring to Uttar Pradesh, where the BJP is in power, Yadav questioned why similar action had not been taken there during elections.
"In Uttar Pradesh, the DGP was never removed during elections. Despite several complaints to the Election Commission, no action was taken. Even officers whose family members were contesting elections were not removed," Yadav said, alleging that the poll body was acting at the BJP's behest.
The Election Commission announced on Sunday that Assembly elections to the 294 seats in West Bengal will be held in two phases – April 23 and April 29 – with the counting scheduled on May 4.
Leaders of the ruling Trinamool Congress also criticised the poll panel's move, with party MP Sougata Roy terming it "wrong" and "a step against West Bengal".
Another Trinamool MP, Kirti Azad, alleged that the poll body functions as an "extended arm of the BJP".
Trinamool Rajya Sabha member Sagarika Ghose claimed the transfers in the early hours showed that the Election Commission was misusing its powers to damage the elected government in West Bengal.
"The way the Election Commission transferred the West Bengal home secretary and chief secretary at 4 am shows that it is misusing its powers to damage the elected government in Bengal. We have raised this matter in the House, and staged a walkout of Parliament for the whole day," she said.
Ghose also alleged that around 50 lakh people in the state were on the "adjudication list" and could be denied voting rights.
"The Election Commission is acting in a blatantly partisan manner. This will not work, and the people of Bengal will give a befitting reply," she said.
Hitting back at the opposition, Union minister Giriraj Singh said constitutional institutions are the greatest strength of India's democracy, and accused the opposition parties of trying to weaken them.
He also lashed out at the Trinamool, saying, "The TMC has no future in West Bengal. They may shout as much as they want, but people will not allow Bengal to become Bangladesh."
Former Union minister and BJP MP Anurag Thakur also criticised the opposition parties, particularly the Congress, for allegedly tarnishing India's reputation and undermining democratic institutions.
"It is not the first time that officials have been transferred during elections. The Election Commission has always changed officers whenever it deemed necessary," he said.
Accusing the opposition of focusing on disruption rather than constructive participation in Parliament, Thakur claimed that its leaders frequently question constitutional bodies, including the judiciary and the Election Commission.
“The opposition's job has now become to create confrontation and obstruction in Parliament. Rahul Gandhi tries to launch a new propaganda narrative every day,” he alleged.
Barely hours after the announcement of the Bengal Assembly poll schedule, the Election Commission removed two top bureaucrats, including Chief Secretary Nandini Chakravorty, of the Mamata Banerjee administration.
The commission appointed Dushyant Nariala, a 1993-batch IAS officer, as the chief secretary, and said Chakravorty would be kept out of poll-related assignments.
The poll panel also removed the home secretary and the DGP.