New Delhi
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) filed a complaint with the Election Commission against the Trinamool Congress on Monday, alleging that they ridiculed Rekha Patra, the BJP candidate from Bengal’s Basirhat Lok Sabha constituency. The complaint stated that, TMC’s official social media handle disclosed Rekha Patra’s personal information, such as her phone number and bank details.
Rekha Patra gained attention for highlighting the distressing situation of many women in the Sandeshkhali region of TMC-governed Bengal. She initially raised concerns about the brutality inflicted by local strongmen associated with the ruling party. This issue garnered national attention, leading the BJP to nominate her as its candidate for the Basirhat constituency.
In their complaint, the BJP objected strongly to Debganshu Bhattacharya, the AITC social media in-charge, alleging that Rekha Patra was derided for benefiting from the state’s health schemes. The BJP argued that portraying her as a recipient of Swasthya Sarthi and Duare Sarkar, two state health schemes, cast her in a negative light. They attached a screenshot of the offending post shared on X, asserting that it violated privacy rights and undermined the principles of fair elections.
The BJP demanded that the AITC’s official handle be suspended for the remainder of the campaign period and insisted that Debganshu Bhattacharya issue an unconditional apology to Rekha Patra, whose efforts sparked a movement for justice for many women in Sandeshkhali.
