Chief Minister of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee has invited a fresh bout of controversy after an FIR was filed against her in Cooch Behar for allegedly instigated voters to gherao central forces which in turn, led to the incident of firing in Sitalkuchi and the subsequent death of four persons.
Claiming that it was Mamata’s statements that fuelled the angry mob to go on a rampage and attack the security forces, Siddique Ali Mia, the Zilla president of BJP’s minority cell in Cooch Behar, affirmed in the FIR. It is being reported that Mia also attached a video clip of Banerjee’s speech in his complaint.
“The said villagers including women launched attack upon the paramilitary forces with the intention of causing bodily injury, knowing it to be likely to cause death of the deployed paramilitary forces,” he stated in the FIR.
Audio clip leak – Mamata asking dead bodies to be put on display
Moreover, a purported audio clip of Mamata telling the TMC nominee of Sitalkuchi to hold rallies with bodies of the four persons killed in the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) firing has been released by BJP’s IT Cell chief Amit Malviya claiming that the CM was trying to instigate riots by asking her party leaders to take out rallies with bodies.
“She is heard asking her party candidate to frame the case in such a way that both the superintendent of police (of Cooch Behar) and other central forces personnel can be framed. Is this expected from a chief minister? She is trying to instil a sense of fear just for minority votes,” said Malviya.
Post the violence in Sitalkuchi, Mamata Banerjee wanted to take out procession with bodies of those who died trying to capture booth 126. She spoke about framing the SP and IC for doing their job, asked TMC’s candidate to spread misinformation about detention centers to scare Ms. pic.twitter.com/517u7IulKH
— Amit Malviya (मोदी का परिवार) (@amitmalviya) April 16, 2021
“TMC signifies VULTURE CULTURE- of feasting on death for petty political gains. TMC should be ashamed of themselves.” BJP national president JP Nadda tweeted whilst sharing the media.
TMC signifies VULTURE CULTURE- of feasting on death for petty political gains.
TMC should be ashamed of themselves. https://t.co/7X3idhNByP
— Jagat Prakash Nadda (Modi Ka Parivar) (@JPNadda) April 16, 2021
Reported previously by TFI, during the fourth phase of the elections a mob had attacked CISF in the Jorpatki area of the Mathabhanga block in the Sitalkuchi Legislative Assembly of Cooch Behar district.
Read more: Mob of 150 attacks forces in Cooch Behar polling booth killing five. Desperate Mamata blames CRPF
However, Mamata had tried to spin the narrative in her favour by pinning the blame on BJP, while calling out an imaginary CRPF Company that was not even present at the site.
“After killing so many people they (Election Commission) are saying the firing was in self-defence. They should feel ashamed. This is a lie.” Said Mamata whilst adding, “The CRPF opened fire on people standing in a queue to vote, killing 4 in Sitalkuchi. I have been apprehending that the forces would act in such a manner for long. As BJP knows it has lost the people’s mandate, they are conspiring to kill people,” Banerjee charged. She also alleged that the incident was part of a conspiracy hatched by the Union home minister Amit Shah.
Reacting to Mamata’s statement, CRPF had issued a clarification “Regarding recent incident being reported in media about killing of 4 civilians outside booth 126, Jorpatki in Sitalkuchi Assembly Constituency, Cooch Behar, it’s clarified that CRPF component was neither deployed at the said booth nor involved in the incident in any way.”
Threatening voters of dire consequences after central forces move out
Reported previously by TFI, Mamata’s hatred towards the central forces was on full display during the first phase of the election campaign when she threatened the non-TMC voters with dire consequences once the forces returned after the elections.
“I keep knowledge of every inch of the elections. After the election, the security personnel sent by the central government will go back, but if our government is formed then the BJP supporters will plead with folded hands for the central security forces to be stationed for a few more days so that they (BJP supporters) could be saved,” Mamata had remarked.
EC quashes Mamata’s claims regarding the central forces
However, Mamata did not stop here and falsely accused the BSF deployed at the Boyal polling station in Nandigram of stalling the election process by not allowing the locals to cast their vote. The EC came out and trained its guns on Mamata and called her out in public for her blatant lies.
“There is no evidence at all to suggest that the BSF jawans who were deployed at the polling station, indulged in any inappropriate behaviour. Moreover, the complaint that they did not allow the voters to go inside the booth is far from the truth.” said the EC.
Read more: Election Commission destroys Mamata’s allegations about Central forces not allowing people to vote
On April 1, during the phase-2 polling, Mamata Banerjee went inside the Boyal poll booth in Nandigram and camped there for a good hour or two and created a mindless ruckus. Claiming that the central forces were not allowing the locals to cast vote, Mamata sitting in the booth called up the governor of the state and asked him to take cognisance of the issue.
Importantly enough, the entire PR stunt was elaborately staged in front of the media cameras and Mamata completed the entire scene in one take.
Mamata is pulling such antics to keep the attention away from the imminent crushing defeat that is coming her way. By constantly besmirching the central deployed forces, Mamata is showing that she can go to any untoward lengths if it helps her in achieving her political ambitions. Hopefully, the freshly filed FIR makes Mamata reconsider her lecherous political strategy.