Congress urges for CRPF deployment in ‘sensitive’ areas

MALDA, Dec. 10: The Congress candidate in the Sujapur by-poll, Miss Mousam Benazir Noor, along with Malda MP Mr AH Khan Choudhury, sabhadhipati of Malda zilla parishad Mrs Sabina Yeasmin and other Congress leaders today met the state chief electoral officer, Mr Debasish Sen, and demanded deployment of Central forces in at least 66 ‘sensitive’ polling stations in the constituency.

The CEO, Mr Debasish Sen, acknowledged the Congress candidate's demand and said that he would look into the matter after surveying the constituency and interacting with the locals.

Mr Sen held a meeting with the election officials and the district magistrate, Mr Sridhar Ghosh, and the police superintendent, Mr Satyajit Bandyopadhayay, today after inspecting official works including nomination papers filed by candidates. He also visited areas in Sujapur.

The Congress candidate, Miss Mousam Benazir Noor, today complained to the CEO that goons backed by the CPI-M were threatening local people with “dire consequences” in some areas such as Bamongram, Masimpur, Sujapur, Jadupur, Jalalpur and Gayeshbari, “if they supported the Congress.”

“Local people are being asked not to vote for the Congress. Our supporters are demanding Central forces on security grounds on polling day,” she told the CEO.

Miss Noor said: “Public response is very good and I expect a lot of sympathy votes due to my mother's (former Sujapur MLA Ms Rubi Noor) demise. But Congress voters in Sujapur are scared due to inaction of police.”

Miss Noor claimed that she told the CEO that the CPI-M candidate Sheikh Ketabuddin and his associate Mr Ashadullah Biswas were suspicious characters. “They shelter criminals connected with the Bangladesh underworld and terrorist outfits such as HuJI,” Miss Noor said.

She also pointed out that the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh was scheduled to address a public rally at Sujapur on 7 December but the programme was cancelled for security reasons because the area is close to the Bangladesh border and some people in Sujapur are “linked with terrorist outfits in Bangladesh.”

Reacting to the allegation against his party candidate, the CPI-M district secretary and Left Front convener Mr Jiban Moitra said: “How dare she say that the CPI-M candidate Sheikh Ketabuddin is a criminal?” According to him, the Congress leaders, including the Malda MP Mr AH Khan Choudhury alias Dalu, were trying hard to have one Mohd Saharul released from jail ahead of the Sujapur by-poll. “Is Saharul a social worker? Why does the Congress's wan his release?” said the CPI-M leader.

n SNS