Alleges Central forces stopping TMC voters; BJP moves EC over her remark

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has asked supporters to gherao CRPF on poll day and vote for the TMC. The BJP has gone to the Election Commission asking it to censure her.

“I have respect for the Central forces but not the one being guided by the BJP… they are stopping our voters from casting their votes… if this continues I will ask our supporters to unite against the Central forces… gherao them if they do not listen to you… The women should gherao them and the rest of the people go and cast your votes,” the Chief Minister said at a rally in Coochbehar.

Alleging that the BJP had conspired to pull down the Trinamool Government by using the Central forces, Mamata said, “The CRPF is asking the voters to vote for the BJP… they are also stopping the TMC supporters from voting… I will ask you to unite and gherao them wherever you find them.”

Reminding that she was the same “Bengal tigress” who had not learnt to bend, Banerjee said, “They are using all tactic to win the elections … they are bringing goons from neighbouring States like Assam, they are splurging money… but they cannot do anything to me with their money and goons because I am Bengal tigress… I can break but I do not bend.”

Claiming that if the BJP came to power in Bengal all hell would break loose. She said, “The BJP will do the same thing in Bengal like what they have done in Assam. There they have detained 14 lakh Bengalis in detention camps they will detain people here also … so it is the question of your existence … you will have to save Bengal and yourself if you do not want to see Bengal being run by Gujaratis,” Mamata said, adding “we will not let Gujaratis capture Bengal. Bengal will stay in Bengal, we will not let goons from Gujarat take over Bengal.”

Later, the BJP leadership said they had complained to the Commission about the Chief Minister’s provocative speeches.

“There is a clear tactic in uttering such provocative words … She is expecting a defeat as her mercenaries have failed to rig the elections due to the presence of the central forces … this is the reason she has become nervous and agitated and is trying to incite the general public against the central forces,” said BJP leader Sisir Bajoria.

The BJP leader said that they wanted the Commission to censure the Chief Minister “otherwise she will continue to play this dirty game to create an untoward situation from where she can draw sympathy votes.”

Bengal has witnessed sporadic violence and several deaths during the elections. On the BJP’s performance in the initial three rounds, he said the saffron party would win “63 to 68 seats” in the first three phases of polls.

Attacking the Chief Minister for failing Bengal in all fronts Home Minister Amit Shah said, “In the past ten years Bengal has only seen syndicates, extortion, flight of capital and loss of employment … but BJP will pursue politics of development, dialogue and cooperation, instead of confrontation.”

Congratulating Banerjee for invoking Hindu gods and goddesses, and reciting Chandi Path (hymns to Goddess Durga) at public meetings, Shah however quipped “it is too late for  Didi … she has already faulted.”

Earlier she had attacked the BJP saying “BJP is peddling lies about me that I do not allow Durga Pujas in Bengal” and reminding that she was the daughter of a Brahmin and had always patronized clubs with liberal funding for the Pujas.”

In Singur, Shah said that like Nandigram people of Singur had reposed faith on Banerjee but she left them midway. He added “we will not get restricted to the Nano (car factory that the Tatas built at Singur but was forced out from Bengal thanks to a movement by the TMC) only. We will think bigger.., we will develop the region by setting up industries and an Rs 500 crore intervention fund has been announced for potatoes.”

The BJP would concentrate on small scale, medium scale and bigger industries in Bengal, he said. “Just wait and see how we revive Bengal … the BJP has grand plans for this State.” Shah on Wednesday conducted four road shows at Singur in Hooghly, Domjur in Howrah, central Howrah and then at Behala East in South Kolkata.