The Hindu : NDA team seeks 'white paper' on W.Bengal panchayat polls

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Saturday, Jul 26, 2003

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NDA team seeks 'white paper' on W.Bengal panchayat polls

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI JULY 25. A four-member MP team of the National Democratic Alliance, which visited West Bengal to look into allegations of rigging and violence during the recent panchayat elections has demanded that the Centre take urgent steps to safeguard democracy in the CPI (M)-ruled State.

Talking to newspersons after submitting its report `Demolition of democracy' to the Deputy Prime Minister, L.K. Advani, here today the team, led by the BJP MP, Kirit Somaiya, said the State Election Commission should declare all figures, results and come out with a `white paper' on the local polls. He said the report would be discussed at the next meeting of the NDA.

The NDA convener and Defence Minister, George Fernandes, was present when the team submitted its report.

Mr. Somaiya said Mr. Advani had suggested that the Chief Election Commissioner should be apprised of the team's findings.

Mr. Somaiya said they would urge the CEC to take steps on the lines of the ones taken by the Commission in Madhya Pradesh.Alleging that political activists were the targets of the atrocities, Mr. Somaiya demanded protection for carrying out legitimate political activities in West Bengal.

"We are of the opinion that the Government, Home Ministry and the West Bengal Governor be asked to give proper protection to the people who voted, acted and were elected against the CPI (M) candidates. Grievances and complaints submitted to various authorities should be verified and action taken," he said.

The team claimed that Opposition parties were not even allowed to field candidates for about 12,000 seats of the village panchayats.

Mr. Somaiya said the State administration and the police should be made more transparent and accountable. Mrs. Beatrix D'Souza (Samata Party), Dr. Nitish Sengupta (Trinamool Congress) and Chandrakant Khaire (Shiv Sena) were the other members of the NDA team which visited West Bengal on July 1 and 2.

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