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EC slaps campaign ban on BJP leader Rahul Sinha for 'inciting Central forces'

EC said Sinha had made a speech on Monday in which he made provocative comments

Rahul Sinha with Bengal governor (File) Rahul Sinha (left) | Twitter handle of Rahul Sinha

The Election Commission on Tuesday announced that Rahul Sinha, the BJP candidate for Habra seat in West Bengal, had been banned from campaigning for 48 hours.

Habra is due to vote on April 22 in the sixth phase of the West Bengal polls.

In its statement, the Election Commission said Sinha had made a speech on Monday (April 12) in which he made provocative comments on last week's firing incident in Cooch Behar that left four people dead during the fourth phase of polls.

The Election Commission noted Sinha had said, "The Central forces have given them (protesters) a befitting answer... The Central forces should have killed eight persons instead of four... The Central force should be issued a show-cause notice as to why they have killed only four of them."

The Election Commission noted Sinha had made "highly provocative statements mocking the human life, inciting the forces that could have serious law and order implications...."

In addition to warning Sinha, the Election Commission banned him from campaigning from 12pm on Tuesday to 12 pm on April 15.

On Monday, the Election Commission had banned West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee from campaigning for 24 hours over her comments against security forces. The decision triggered outrage among TMC leaders.

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