Mamata Slams Central Forces for Allegedly Firing During Polling

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

(Photo: PTI)

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday, 29 April, slammed the central forces for allegedly firing "inside" a polling booth in Birbhum district and accused the BJP of misusing the forces in the elections.

Stating that the law and order is a state subject, she said it is not the job of the central forces to enter polling booths and they should keep vigil outside.

In Dubrajpur area of Birbhum constituency, voters allegedly engaged in a scuffle with the central forces when they were barred from entering booths with mobile phones, a senior election official said.

Security personnel reportedly fire in the air to control the mob, following which polling was stalled in the booths, the official said.

“I have heard that the CRPF fired inside a booth in Dubrajpur. I am yet to get the detailed report. CRPF personnel can be deputed outside booths, but they do not have the right to lathicharge or fire,” Banerjee, also the TMC supremo, said.

"Law and order is a state subject and not a central subject. Even if the central forces have to conduct a route march, they are required to do it along with the state police," the TMC chief said while speaking at a rally in Bagdhah in North 24 Parganas district.

Banerjee accused the BJP of misusing the law and bringing in central forces without depending on the state police and using them in garnering votes for themselves.

“We know the law. I have heard that complaints were made (before the EC) that the central force personnel have gone inside booths and asked people to vote for the BJP. This will not help the BJP,” she said.

"The BJP do not trust the Bengal police. The police are on security duty during the Durga Puja, during Diwali. They protect us from thieves and dacoits. And during elections, you need policemen from Delhi," Banerjee said.

Asking the BJP to trust the people, she said police will not vote for its candidates but the people will.

Violence was reported from several parts of the eight Lok Sabha constituencies where polling is going on Monday.

Clashes have broke out between the supporters of rival parties in Nanoor, Rampurhat, Nalhati and Siuri areas of Birbhum seat, injuring several people.

The Election Commission has deployed central forces at around 98.8 per cent of the booths in the eight seats – Baharampur, Krishnagar, Ranaghat (SC), Burdwan East (SC), Burdwan-Durgapur, Asansol, Bolpur (SC) and Birbhum.

BJP Urges EC to Deploy Central Forces in All Polling Booths in West Bengal

Meanwhile, the BJP, on Monday, approached the Election Commission complaining that TMC workers have "hijacked democracy" in West Bengal and creating ruckus during voting, and again demanded deployment of central forces in all polling booths in the state.

Following reports of a clash between the ruling Trinamool Congress and BJP workers outside a booth in Asansol's Barabani, and vandalism of the vehicle of Union Minister and sitting MP Babul Supriyo, a BJP delegation met top officials of the poll panel in Kolkata.

The delegation included Union Ministers Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and Vijay Goel, and the party's media in-charge Anil Baluni.

After meeting the poll panel officials, Naqvi told reporters, "The ruling Trinamool Congress workers have hijacked democracy in the state and are indulging in violence. They are being supported by the local machinery and we demand deployment of central forces in all polling booths in the state."

Later in a press conference, BJP's national spokesperson G V L Narasimha Rao said there were reports of "rampant violence" in West Bengal during polling on Monday.

(Source: PTI)