Trinamool Congress parliamentary delegation approaches Election Commission over Saket Gokhale's arrest

Miffed over the party spokesperson Saket Gokhale's arrest, a five-member TMC parliamentary delegation approached the Election Commission of India (ECI), on December 12 and termed the arrest as a violation of the Representation of the People Act.

The delegation comprised Lok Sabha lawmakers Saugata Roy and Kalyan Banerjee, and Rakya Sabha members Sukhdendu Sekhar Ray, Mausam Noor, and Dere O'Brien.

''The delegation met the Chief Election Commissioner over the harassment and torture of our national spokesperson Saket Gokhale. Gokhale was arrested once in Ahmedabad and a case was lodged against him in Morbi while the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) was still in force. Section 125 which has been slapped on him is not attracted by what he tweeted so it is a case of harassment,'' Trinamool Congress MP Saugata Roy was seen saying in a video that was tweeted by TMC. 

''In the case of Paresh Rawal who spoke against Bengali, no action was taken. We strongly protest this. The Chief election Commissioner promised us that he will ask for a report and take necessary action,'' Roy added.

AITC delegation comprising MPs Mr @derekobrienmp, Shri @Sukhendusekhar, Shri @KBanerjee_AITC, Shri @SaugataRoyMP, Smt @MausamNoor is at the ECI office to register a complaint against the alleged violation of the Representation of People's Act pertaining to @SaketGokhale's arrest. pic.twitter.com/xSzFKyHtqL

— All India Trinamool Congress (@AITCofficial) December 12, 2022

Earlier, the TMC had sent a memorandum to the Election Commission seeking to order an immediate probe into the action initiated by Gujarat Police against Gokhale and also urged to put an end to all alleged physical and mental harassment of Gokhale.

Mamata Banerjee-led TMC party has further alleged that the Gokhale was charged under section 125 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 which relates to promoting enmity between classes in connection with an election.

On December 6, Gokhale was apprehended by the Gujarat police over a tweet on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Morbi following a bridge collapse.

The said tweet by Gokhale showed a news clipping claiming that the Gujarat government had spent Rs 30 crore on PM Modi's visit to Morbi after a bridge collapsed there in October.

However, the Press Information Bureau (PIB) issued a 'fact check' calling the news fake.

After the arrest, Gokhale was taken to Ahmedabad, where he was granted bail by a court on December 8. However, soon after getting the bail, he was nabbed in another case and managed to get bail in that case too on December 9.

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