BJP moves EC against TMC for 'mocking' Rekha Patra, the face of Sandeshkhali horror

New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday lodged a complaint with the Election Commission against the Trinamool Congress (TMC), accusing it of mocking Rekha Patra, its candidate from Bengal’s Basirhat Lok Sabha constituency.

The BJP in its complaint claimed that the TMC via its X handle leaked the personal details of Rekha Patra, including her phone number and bank details.

Notably, Rekha Patra brought to light the horrific plight of scores of women in the Sandeshkhali region of TMC-ruled Bengal, by first lodging a complaint against atrocities and barbarism of local strongmen, with affiliations to the ruling party. The issue of atrocities against women in Sandeshkhali became a national issue and subsequently, the BJP picked her as its Lok Sabha nominee from Basirhat constituency.

In a complaint to the ECI, the BJP lodged strong objections to AITC social media in-charge Debganshu Bhattacharya and said that Rekha Patra has been mocked for being a beneficiary of the state’s health schemes.

The BJP complaint said that by showing her as a beneficiary of Swasthya Sarthi and Duare Sarkar, two health schemes of the state government, she is being shown in poor light. It also attached the screenshot of the offending post against her, shared on X.

“It is a clear violation of her right to privacy and is also in contravention with the settled principles of free and fair elections, granting a level-playing field to all the candidates, the party said in its complaint.

The BJP has demanded suspension of AITC’s official handle for the rest of the campaigning period and also directions to its in-charge Debganshu Bhattacharya to tender an unconditional apology to Rekha Patra, the woman candidate whose initiative ignited the fight for justice, for hundreds of women, in Sandeshkhali.