The Election Commission on Thursday banned Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh from campaigning for 24 hours and showcaused the party’s office-bearer Sayantan Basu for provocative remarks on the CISF firing in which four youths had been killed during voting in the Sitalkuchi Assembly constituency on April 10.

Ghosh was found guilty of violating two clauses of the model code of conduct that prohibit incitement of hatred between communities and intimidation. He had said “dushtu chhele” would be shot like the way the central forces had done at Sitalkuchi in Cooch Behar district.

The EC said: “Now, therefore, the Commission hereby sternly warns Shri Dilip Ghosh and advises him to desist from using such statement while making public utterances during the period when Model Code of Conduct is in force and imposes a ban of 24 hours from 7 pm on 15th April 2021 to 7 pm on 16th April 2021.”

The EC also sent a showcause notice to BJP state general secretary Sayantan Basu whom it quoted as saying on a private Bengali channel on April 12: “We will play the game of Shitalkuchi. They killed 18 years old Ananda Barman, a first time voter, in the morning. He was the brother of the BJP’s Shakti Pramukh. We did not have to wait for long....(Barely audible) Four of them were shown the way to heaven. There was a dialogue in the film ‘Sholey’ you know — if you kill one we will kill four of you. Shitalkuchi witnessed it — if you kill one we will kill four of you.”

The EC gave Basu 24 hours to reply to the notice, saying: “Whereas, the above statement made by Shri Sayantan Basu, has been examined in the Commission and the same has been found to be in violation of the clauses (1) & (4) of Part I of ‘General Conduct of Model Code of Conduct for the guidance of political parties and candidates’, and the provisions under Section 123 (3A) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 and Section 153 (A) (1) (a) of Indian Penal Code.”

Four youths had been killed when Central Industrial Security Force personnel had opened fire outside a booth when voting was going on in the Sitalkuchi Assembly constituency on April 10.