Ahead of the fifth phase of elections in West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee addressed a poll rally in Jalpaiguri district on Wednesday, 14 April. The CM took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s party for allegedly causing a surge of COVID cases in the state by bringing in outsiders.
“Narendra Modi and Amit Shah didn’t come here when COVID-19 broke out. Now they have brought people from outside and are escaping after spreading COVID-19.”CM Mamata Banerjee, as per ANI
Banerjee added, “They (BJP leaders) have brought outsiders for campaigning and contributed to the rise in COVID cases. We had managed to get hold of the COVID situation, they made it complicated,” quoted PTI.
She pointed fingers at the BJP for not responding to the ruling TMC government’s request to vaccinate a larger section of the population to contain the spread of the virus, added the report.
EC’s Notice On Banerjee's 24-Hour Campaign Ban
On Wednesday, CM Banerjee raised the issue of the EC notice saying, “Is it a fault to ask Hindus, Muslims and others to vote together? What about Prime Minister Narendra Modi who is mocking me at every election meeting? Why is he not banned from campaigning?” quoted PTI.
Banerjee has been refuting the claims by the Election Commission since they on Monday, 12 April, imposed a 24-hour campaigning ban on Banerjee for her “highly insinuating” and “provocative" remarks, which the poll body had said were laden with “serious potential of breakdown of law and order".
The EC notice, issued by outgoing Election Commissioner Sunil Arora, was over Banerjee's comments on Muslim votes and those, which allegedly urged action against central security forces. The ban had been in place from 8 pm on 12 April till 8 pm on 13 April.
Banerjee did a 3.5-hour-long dharna against the EC’s decision. She arrived at the Mayo Road venue in Kolkata on Tuesday, 13 April in a wheelchair around 11:30 am, and appeared to be keeping herself busy by painting during the dharna.
About CAA/NRC/NPR
Banerjee, on Wednesday slammed PM Modi and Amit Shah for peddling lies at rallies alleging that the Centre has not killed the NRC NPR bills, but Shah claimed they won’t be enforced at a rally in Lebong, West Bengal.
As per PTI, Banerjee said:
“Don’t trust them. If they come to power, you may face the same experience like the 14 lakh Bengalis in Assam (referring to the final NRC in the northeastern state). BJP is a dangerous party, which is trying to divide Bengal.”CM Mamata Banerjee
Polling for the high-stakes West Bengal Assembly elections is taking place in eight phases, with voting having concluded in four phases. Banerjee's remarks come ahead of the fifth phase of Assembly elections, which is being held on 17 April.
The Bengal elections has seen the TMC and the BJP at loggerheads with the latter threatening to dethrone the ruling party.
(With inputs from PTI and ANI)
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