Kolkata, March 23 (IANS) The BJP on Monday said it would lodge a complaint with the Election Commission over Trinamool Congress Asansol Member of Parliament Shatrughan Sinha’s alleged use of a vehicle fitted with a blue beacon while campaigning for the Assembly elections in West Burdwan district, West Bengal.

The controversy erupted after Sinha, by virtue of being a Member of Parliament, entitled to a blue‑beacon vehicle, arrived at a campaign event on Sunday in support of Trinamool candidate Hareram Singh in Jamuria constituency in West Burdwan in a car bearing a blue beacon and a placard identifying him as “Member of Parliament, Asansol”, along with the Ashoka Pillar emblem.

A workers' meeting had been organised in support of Hareram, and the MP arrived at the venue in his blue-beaconed vehicle. The front of the car bore the inscription 'Member of Parliament, Asansol,' accompanied by an emblem of the Ashoka Pillar. However, questions have now arisen whether it is permissible to use a vehicle fitted with a blue beacon during a party candidate's campaign after the election schedule has officially been announced. The BJP has raised objections to this. Bijan Mukherjee, the BJP candidate for Jamuria, has formally accused Shatrughan Sinha of violating the Model Code of Conduct.

BJP candidate Bijan Mukherjee said that he intends to take this matter to the Election Commission and, if necessary, even to the courts. Bijan said, "Inventing new laws seems to be the sole purpose of the TMC government. To the best of my understanding, once the Model Code of Conduct comes into force, no one is permitted to travel in a vehicle fitted with a blue beacon or the Ashoka Pillar. The fact that the Trinamool government shows utter disregard for rules and regulations is proven by this incident."

Shatrughan Sinha, however, dismissed the allegation. The MP told media persons, "No beacon light was installed specifically for this occasion; it was already there beforehand. I did not install anything myself. Furthermore, the light was not switched on. I do not engage in such practices. I am neither a seasonal politician nor a career professional politician in that sense. I am a gentleman. I abide by the law. I have not done nor will I ever do anything that could cause offense or hurt anyone's sentiments."

It was learnt that upon concluding his campaign and re-entering his vehicle, the blue beacon light was no longer visible on the car. Reports suggest that as soon as the controversy began, he instructed his personal assistant to have the blue beacon removed from the vehicle. However, the placard on the front of the car bearing the inscription 'Member of Parliament' alongside the Ashoka Pillar emblem -- remained in place.

The BJP has alleged that the use of a blue beacon on the vehicle was a deliberate attempt to exert influence over the general public. Bijan refuses to dismiss this as a trivial incident. He asserted, "An incident is an incident, regardless of its scale. One cannot simply overlook a minor transgression today while waiting for a major one to occur tomorrow; that is simply not how things work. If an MP -- a lawmaker himself -- engages in such conduct, what kind of example does he set for others to follow? He is an educated individual; he committed this error fully aware of the implications."

--IANS

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