Shantipur/Jalpaiguri: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday accused West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of politicising the firing incident at a polling booth in Sitalkuchi Assembly seat in West Bengal’s Cooch Behar district and said political violence will vanish from the state after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) comes to power.
The Home Minister, who was holding a roadshow in Nadia district’s Santipur for BJP candidate Jagannath Sarkar, alleged the Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo’s provocation against the central forces is responsible for the “sad” incident.
“Yesterday, an unfortunate incident happened in Cooch Behar. Some miscreants attacked the CISF (personnel) and tried to snatch their weapon and in the firing four miscreants died. It is a sad incident. But even sadder is its politicisation. A few days back Mamata had provoked the public against the central forces. I ask Mamata, is her speech not responsible for the incident?” Shah said.
Continuing his outburst against the TMC chief, the Union Home Minister alleged that the former was indulging in politics of appeasement and pleasing her vote bank.
“Yesterday Anand Burman died as well but Mamata did not give any statement or tribute to him, just because he was not her vote bank. This shows how low Mamata has stooped in her politics of appeasement. It is not too late, she should pay tribute to the man and apologise for her speech in Cooch Behar,” he said.
Asserting that the fourth phase of polling in West Bengal was largely peaceful except for the Cooch Behar firing incident, Shah appealed to the people to vote peacefully and follow the Election Commission’s guidelines.
The Home Minister’s remarks came as a first-time voter identified as Anand Barman was allegedly shot dead by the miscreants on Saturday while he was standing in a queue at the polling booth in Pagalapir of Sitalkuchi assembly constituency in Cooch Behar district.
The family of the deceased held the TMC goons responsible for the incident. The local TMC leaders, however, rubbished the charges.
READ | Following PM Modi's Appeal, 4-Day 'Tika Utsav' For Mass Covid-19 Vaccination Begins Today
Meanwhile, the Chief Minister too escalated her attack on the Union Home Minister alleging the BJP sensing its defeat in West Bengal is now “using guns”.
“They (BJP-ruled Centre) know they have lost in the four phases. So, now they are using guns. We will take revenge for these bullets in form of ballots,” she said.
The TMC chief, who was speaking in Jalpaiguri, alleged that she was not allowed to visit Cooch Behar post the incident on Saturday.
“I am a Royal Bengal Tiger. They didn't let me go (to Cooch Behar). I talked to them (families of deceased in firing incident) over video call sitting in Siliguri,” she said.
Earlier on Saturday, the TMC registered a strong protest with the Election Commission over the killing of four people during polling in Cooch Behar while accusing the BJP and central forces of committing a “cold-blooded murder”.
This came after the poll body ordered adjournment of the polls at polling station number 126 in the Sitalkuchi Assembly constituency amid reports of violence.
Over 78 percent voter turnout was recorded in the fourth phase of the assembly elections. The campaigning is in full swing for the fifth phase of the assembly polls.