Kolkata, 07 March (H.S.): Posters mocking Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar have appeared in a ward where West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s residence is located, a day before the full bench of the Election Commission is scheduled to arrive in the city.
The posters surfaced in parts of south Kolkata and feature a cartoon depiction of the CEC lying on the ground and appearing to apologise. In the illustration, a punch from an unidentified woman is shown landing on his face. The punch carries the word “Baghin” (tigress), while the woman’s face is not visible. However, the figure is shown wearing a white saree with a light blue border — widely seen as an allusion to Banerjee’s signature attire. The cartoon also depicts a judge seated on a chair in the background.
The Election Commission’s full bench, led by CEC Gyanesh Kumar, is scheduled to arrive in Kolkata on Sunday night for a two-day visit. During the visit, the panel will review legal cases related to documents of voters marked under the “logical inconsistency” category and assess preparations for the crucial Assembly elections due later this year.
The local unit of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) has reportedly accepted responsibility for putting up the posters.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in West Bengal has strongly criticised the posters, calling them “highly objectionable and reflective of a deplorable mindset”.
BJP councillor in the Kolkata Municipal Corporation, Sajal Ghosh, said the Election Commission is a key institution of Indian democracy and insulting its chief in such a manner is unacceptable. He also alleged that the posters reflected the ruling party’s unease over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, which he claimed could lead to the removal of lakhs of allegedly fake voters from the rolls.
Political observers believe the posters were deliberately placed in prominent public locations shortly before the Election Commission’s visit, ensuring visibility among a large number of passers-by.
---------------
Hindusthan Samachar / Priyanka Pandey
