"EC's decision one-sided, my constitutional rights being denied," Mayawati responds to poll panel's 48-hour ban

New Delhi: Responding to the Election Commission’s 48-hour long ban on her, Bahujan Samajwadi Party (BSP) Supremo Mayawati alleged that she has been denied her fundamental right of speech and freedom and rejected all the accusations against her. Mayawati held a press conference the night before the official start of the ban, and said that the poll panel has given a one-sided decision against her. Denying the allegations, she said: “the EC’s show-cause notice which was sent on April 11, did not mention anywhere that we delivered inciting speech, it contained only one accusation that we were asking for votes on name of one particular community.” Mayawati was issued the notice for her speech in Deoband appealing to Muslims to not vote for a particular party. The BSP chief had prima facie violated the model code of conduct, the poll panel found. The EC has banned her from election campaigning for 48 hours starting from 6 am on Tuesday. “The EC has given a one-sided decision. I have been denied the fundamental right of freedom of speech and expression. This day will be known as a black day in the history of EC”, said the former UP CM during her press conference. “I had provided the explanation in my answer to EC, that I was not asking votes on the name of one community, I had only appealed the people of Muslim community to not be influenced by their relatives as it would result in divided votes, rather they should unanimously support the Mahagathbandhan” Mayawati said. “I have done nothing that would hurt any religious sentiment. I had appealed the EC to listen to the complete speech and had also stated that I have not been provided with CD of the alleged part of the speech, however ignoring all my requests, a ban has been imposed on me,” she said. She said that preventing her from traveling is a violation of her constitutional freedom. She also said that the EC’s decision has been taken under pressure."The hidden intent is to prevent me from removing BJP from power," she said. She said that the ban was imposed ahead of her crucial Agra rally in a bid to prevent her from appealing for votes for alliance candidate. The Election Commission on Monday censured UP CM Yogi Adityanath and BSP chief Mayawati for making communal remarks at their poll rallies recently. The Commission has barred them from holding public meetings, road shows and giving media interviews and public utterances in media including social media, for 72 hours for Yogi and 48 hours for Mayawati starting 6 am on April 16. Watch Mayawati's press conference: