Shah: Mamata outburst result of frustration

Even as the Election Commission of India slapped a second notice on Mamata Banerjee, this time for asking her supporters to blockade the Central forces and then vote because “they are Amit Shah’s men,” a defiant Bengal Chief Minister alleged Home Minister Amit Shah was trying to incite violence in the State and egging on the police to engage in unethical acts.

The TMC supremo advised Prime Minister Narendra Modi to control Shah, alleging that he may incite riots in the State.

“I have not seen such a ‘gunda’ (gangster), ‘dangabaaz’ (rioteer) Home Minister in my entire life. Amit Shah is more dangerous than a tiger. People fear talking to him. I will urge PM Narendra Modi to control Amit Shah first. He is inciting riots here,” news agency PTI quoted Mamata saying this while addressing a rally in Memari in Purba.

On his part, the Union Home Minister on Friday pledged “common sense” to the Bengal Chief Minister informing her about how the CPF functioned during the elections.

“Mamata Didi has been holding the Home Ministry responsible for controlling the conduct of the Central forces during the elections… but a little common sense would make her think differently… in fact during the elections the Central forces are not controlled by the Union Home Ministry but by the Election Commission,” Shah told mediapersons adding he had not seen a Chief Minister acting in a manner the way she did.

Saying that Mamata’s outburst was the result of her fear of losing the elections, the Home Minister said, “Mamata Banerjee’s outburst only indicates that she is losing the elections … the frustration is evident from her regular attack on the Central forces… In fact I have never seen a Chief Minister or party chief asking the people to gherao the Central forces.” He wondered whether by using such words she was trying to create anarchy. “Is she trying to create anarchy? I do not understand,” Shah said.

He added the way she was appealing to minority voters to come together and vote for the TMC “indicates that their minority vote bank is also slipping away.”

Earlier the ECI sent a second notice to the Chief Minister for using “provocative and intemperate language” against the Central forces which it said had been “working diligently” since the 1980s towards conducting free and fair elections.

Referring to the Chief Minister’s allegations that the Central forces were dancing to the tunes of the Home Minister and that they were trying to influence the voters into voting for the BJP the Commission faulted her for making “... prima facie, completely false, provocative

and intemperate statements,” with an intention “to berate and vilify Central Paramilitary Forces during the electoral process.” She said such remarks were “causing extreme demoralisation amongst ranks and file of these forces....”

Mamata who was addressing a rally at Jamalpur in Burdwan East, however, remained defiant saying she would continue to criticise the Central forces till they did not stop working for the BJP.

“I always respect the Central forces. They are not bad people. The problem is with the people up there who are controlling them … I will continue speaking against the CPF until they stop working for the BJP. Once they stop doing that, I will salute them. I do not care about your (EC’s) show cause letters.” The Chief Minister said responding to the EC notice.

“You are working at the behest of the BJP. I wonder why there is no MCC violation when the PM campaigns on polling days,” Mamata said.

Attacking the CPF, Chief Minister had earlier asked the women supporters of her party in a public rally to “gherao and blockade the Central forces which are working in favour of the Home Ministry …while the women will keep them captive the others can go and cast their votes … do this everywhere so that your voting rights are not wasted.”

The BJP leadership saw in her statement an attempt to create anarchy by provoking the general public into attacking the forces prompting the CPF to fire in self defence generating, in turn, a sympathy wave for the Trinamool Congress.

The Commission earlier sent her a notice for making communal remarks during campaigns when she asked the Muslim voters to unite and vote for her. To that letter, Mamata said, “Send 10 notices to me but I do not care,” asking why you do not send notices to Narendra Modi who is making statements dividing the Hindus and Muslims regularly? Why don’t you send notices to the BJP leaders (read Suvendu Adhikari) who called the Muslims of Nandigram Pakistanis…”

Back in Kolkata Shah who on Friday reiterated that his party would win 63 to 68 seats out of 91 that went to polls in the first three rounds said Bengal would get its due after the BJP would come to power winning more than 200 seats.

He said that the endeavours to make Sonar Bangla Abhiyan would commence from Kolkata pledging once again Rs 22,000 crore development package for the city. “Kolkata will remain the ‘City of Joy’ & we will also work to transform it into ‘City of Future’. We will make an Rs 22,000 crore Kolkata Development Fund for infrastructural strengthening.

Shah also rolled out plans for North Bengal, particularly its biggest city Siliguri saying the BJP Government would work towards constructing a metro railway in North Bengal city. “We will consider constructing Metro services in Siliguri besides setting up a IT park here. We will also release a fund of Rs 100 crore for a tea park” he said in addition to making a number of other promises.

Shah on Friday took part in two roadshows at Jagatdal and Madhyamgram in North 24 Parganas.