India News | TMC Leaders' Dharna Outside EC Office Poll Gimmick, Bid to Protect Shahjahan Sheikh: BJP

New Delhi, Apr 8 (PTI) The BJP on Monday termed the TMC leaders' dharna outside the poll panel's office here a "poll gimmick" and alleged the Mamata Banerjee-led party was making an all-out effort to protect Shahjahan Seikh, the main accused in the Sandeshkhali case.

The Delhi Police on Monday detained Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders while they were on a dharna outside the Election Commission's office, demanding that the chiefs of CBI, NIA, ED and Income Tax Department be changed.

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"TMC leaders do not care about the Constitution of India and democracy. If anyone has insulted the Constitution, constitutional institutions and democracy, it is TMC leaders. They are doing 'nautanki' (gimmick) to protect and save Shahjahan Sheikh," BJP national general secretary Arun Singh told reporters.

The protest by TMC leaders shows their frustration with the party sensing its defeat in the Lok Sabha polls, he added.

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Sheikh, a key accused in sexual assault and land grab charges in West Bengal's Sandeshkhali, was arrested in February in connection with an assault on Enforcement Directorate officials who were conducting a raid in the area on January 5 as part of a probe into the ration distribution scam case.

A 10-member delegation of the TMC sat on a dharna outside the Election Commission's office here after meeting a full bench of the poll panel. They urged the commission to ensure a level playing field in the Lok Sabha polls and stop the "misuse" of the central agencies against opposition parties and leaders

Hitting out at Banerjee over her party leaders' dharna, Singh alleged that there is complete lawlessness in West Bengal but the TMC supremo, who is also West Bengal chief minister, is only concerned about "protecting and saving" Sheikh.

"There is no law and order in West Bengal. The highest number of political killings have happened in West Bengal. Mamata Banerjee never had any faith in the Constitution. She only relies on Shahjahan Sheikh," the BJP leader added.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)