Siliguri: Describing the incident of firing in Cooch Behar as a “genocide”, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday said the Election Commission has restricted the entry of politicians in the district for 72 hours as it seeks to “suppress facts”.
The TMC supremo, while addressing a press meet here, claimed that central forces “sprayed bullets aiming at the torso of the victims” in Sitalkuchi area, when the fourth phase of polling was underway in the state.
“There was genocide at Sitalkuchi. I would like to visit Sitalkuchi by April 14. The EC is trying to suppress facts by restricting entry in Cooch Behar. We have an incompetent home minister and an incompetent central government,” Banerjee said.
Four persons died on Saturday when CISF personnel opened fire allegedly after coming under attack from locals, who “attempted to snatch their rifles”, the police had said.
“The CISF doesn’t know how to handle situations. Since the first phase of elections, I had been saying that a section of the central forces are committing atrocities on people. I had flagged the issue in Nandigram, but none paid attention to my words,” she said.
Also read: Mamata Banerjee seeks Amit Shah’s resignation over firing by central forces in Cooch Behar
‘Incident result of conspiracy hatched by BJP’
Banerjee also claimed that the tragedy in Cooch Behar was the “result of a conspiracy” hatched by the saffron party to intimidate voters.
The TMC supremo, who addressed three rallies in Jalpaiguri district during the day, also stated that BJP leaders, who have come out in support of the central forces, should sit back and reflect if they would have had the same stance if someone in their families met with a similar fate.
“I have video footage that shows some BJP leaders are speaking in favour of the central forces after the firing incident. You (BJP leaders) don’t feel sad if sons die in other families. What if it had happened to someone in your family,” Banerjee said in Rajganj.
Hitting out at the accused CISF personnel, she said, “If you think someone is causing nuisance, speak to him, you also have lathis. How can you suddenly point your gun at the torso and neck of voters?”
Describing the incident as “murder of democracy”, Banerjee pointed out that the EC has stopped her and other politicians from visiting Sitalkuchi for 72 hours at the “behest of the BJP”.
“You can stop me from visit Sitalkuchi or for that matter any other place, but I will find a way out to be on the side of the distressed people.”
She asserted that “for every bullet, reply will be given in votes”.
“Come out in larger numbers to cast your vote, exercise your democratic rights to defeat the trigger-happy BJP. The Cooch Behar incident was a result of a conspiracy hatched by the saffron camp,” the chief minister said during her address in Nagrakota.
Also read: After Cooch Behar firing, Mamata talks to family members of deceased over video call
Mumtaz Bano is throwing all the words in OED at BJP. Meaning be damned. It is the decibel which matters.
The fact that she can get away with this filth and lies, and not a single editorial of any media house condemns her attempts to undermine legitimate electoral process tells a lot about the sorry state of the media. Including thePrint. All of you were so busy in condemning trump for his vile attempts at killing democracy, and a silly distasteful remark by Uttarakhand CM shows how screwed up your priorities of editorials are. You care more about a useless comment on dressing than a sitting CM’s deliberate criminal attempts to delegitimize our democracy. Shame on her. But she’s a politician. More shameful for the entire media dispensation. You should all know this is why people have lost faith in the media.