On dharna against EC's campaign ban, Mamata takes to painting

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who on Tuesday sat on a dharna to protest the 24-hour ban imposed by the Election Commission, took to canvas and made colourful paintings.

Mamata, who arrived at the Mayo road venue in the morning and began her sit-in next to a Mahatma Gandhi statue, turned to paints and canvases and produced at least two paintings while sitting on her wheelchair.

The Trinamool Congress chief is staging the dharna as a mark of protest against what she called the EC's "unconstitutional decision" to bar her from campaigning for 24 hours in the ongoing assembly polls in the state. EC's order came after Mamata's remarks against the central forces and a statement which had alleged religious overtones.

The poll body said she had made "highly insinuating and provocative remarks laden with the serious potential of the breakdown of law and order and thereby affecting the election process".

In its order, the EC condemned her statements "portent with serious law and order problems across the state (s)" and sternly warned her. It advised her "to desist from using such statements while making public utterances during the period when Model Code of Conduct is in force."

TMC MP Derek O'Brien termed EC's move a "black day for democracy".

"Today is a black day in Indian democracy. They cannot beat us, that is why they ban us," tweeted O'Brien. He further remarked that the EC stands for 'Extremely Compromised'.

Polling for the first four phases has concluded in West Bengal. The fifth and sixth phases of the ongoing elections will take place on April 17 and April 22. Counting of votes will take place on May 2.

( With inputs from ANI )

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