TMC leader Firhad Hakim said that election dates clashing with Ramazan will be difficult for people observing Roza.
New Delhi| A day after the Election Commission of India announced the dates for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, leaders in the state of West Bengal have expressed concern over the election dates clashing with Ramazan-a month of fasting observed by Muslims. However, Kolkata mayor and TMC leader Firhad Hakim on Monday alleged that the BJP does not want the minorities to cast their votes and thus elections dates have been announced in the month of Ramazan.
West Bengal has 31% of the minority population. As per the schedule declared by the Election Commission, polling in the state will be conducted in seven phases. This is for the first time that the state will be witnessing polling that has spread across seven phases. Earlier, the assembly elections in the state were conducted in six phases. The state has 42 parliamentary seats.
Firhad Hakim, Kolkata Mayor & TMC leader: EC is a constitutional body&we respect them. We don't want to say anything against them. But 7-phase election will be tough for people in Bihar, UP&WB. It'll be most difficult for those who will be observing ramzan at that time. (10.03) pic.twitter.com/fLj4Ivferd
— ANI (@ANI) March 11, 2019
Talking to a news agency, Hakim said Bihar, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh have a significant number of the minority population. He said that the people will be observing Roza during the election and it will be difficult for them. “A 7-phase election will be tough for people in Bihar, UP&WB. It’ll be most difficult for those who will be observing Ramzan at that time,” Hakim said.
“The minority population in these 3 states is quite high. They’ll cast votes by observing ‘roza’. EC should’ve kept this in mind,” He added. Alleging that BJP does not want the minorities to cast votes, he said that the party (TMC) is not afraid. “BJP wants minorities to not cast their votes. But we aren’t worried. People are committed to ‘BJP hatao-desh bachao’,” Hakim claimed.
Firhad Hakim, Kolkata Mayor&TMC leader: Minority population in these 3 states is quite high. They'll cast votes by observing 'roza'. EC should've kept this in mind. BJP wants minorities to not cast their votes.But we aren't worried. People are committed to 'BJP hatao-desh bachao' https://t.co/7MCnrgrDqE
— ANI (@ANI) March 11, 2019
In 2014 Lok Sabha elections, BJP won two seats in West Bengal and sent Babul Supriyo and SS Ahluwalia to the parliament. TMC despite the Modi wave won 34 seats in the state. However, BJP is aiming at winning more than 40 seats in West Bengal this time.
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