Guwahati, April 3: The Election Commission of India on Friday bans Assam Minister and senior BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma from campaigning for 48 hours with immediate effect over his remark against Bodoland People’s Front (BPF) chief Hagrama Mohilary.
“The Commission hereby strongly condemns the impugned statements made by Sh. Himanta Biswa Sarma, BJP leader and star campaigner. The Commission, under Article 324 of the Constitution of India and all other powers enabling on this behalf, bars him from holding any public meetings, public processions, public rallies, road shows, Interviews and public utterances in media (electronic, print, social media) etc. In connection with ongoing elections for 48 hours from immediate effect on 02.04.2021 (Friday),” the order said.
The ECI’s decision comes a day after it had issued a show-cause notice to Sarma who is also the main poll strategist for BJP in this elections.
The ECI acted on a complaint submitted by the Assam Congress on March 30 and alleged that Himanta Biswa Sarma had openly threatened to send Mohilary to jail by misusing the NIA.
“Sh. Himanta Biswa Sarma submitted his reply dated 02.04.2021 denying the allegations… the Commission considered reply submitted by Sh. Himanta Biswa Sarma and the same was not found to be satisfactory,” the order undersigned by ECI secretary Ajay Kumar Verma mentioned.
Sarma being barred from campaigning also means that he will not be able to campaign for the crucial third and final phase of Assam elections on April 6 as after the completion of his term being barred, model code of conduct will be implemented that bars any candidate from campaigning 48 hours before the elections. Sarma, who is a candidate from Jalukbari constituency in Guwahati, is also on the fray in the third phase.
The ECI took the decision after going through the entire transcription of Sarma’s comment that, was quoted in the ECI’s order as : “If Hagrama does extremism with Batha he will go to jail. This is straight talk… Already got lot of evidence.”
Mohilary was once an ally to the BJP, who switched to the Congress after the BJP joined hands with the United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL) to form Bodoland Territorial Council last December.
M Batha whose real name is Binod Mushahary, was Deputy Chief second in command of the Saoraigwra Basumatary-faction of National Democratic Front of Bodoland with Bishnu Basumatary, alias G Bidai and had laid down his arms ahead of the outfit along with three other signing peace accord with the Centre and Assam in January last year. According to military intelligence, he had returned to the jungle and helped form a new outfit named National Liberation Front of Bodoland.
