After the death of four people in the firing by central forces at Sitalkuch in Cooch Behar during the fourth phase of elections today in West Bengal, the PM Narendra Modi and TMC Chief Mamata Banerjee seems to have indulged in a serious blame game.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressing condolences over the deaths while addressing a rally at Jalpaiguri in North Bengal on Saturday said that inciting people against the central forces and creating hindrances in the poll process won't be able to save you Didi (Mamata).
"My condolences are with their family members" Modi said in Jalpaiguri adding that "This violence, inciting people against the central forces and creating hindrances in the poll process won't be able to save you didi (Mamata). I urge the ECI to take stern action against the guilty in the Cooch Behar case," he added.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has alleged that armed central police shot four people dead who were standing in a queue to vote in Sitalkuchi. While speaking at a public meeting at Hingalganj, she asked Union Home Minister Amit Shah to explain why lives were lost in central forces' firing during the fourth phase of polling.
She also said, "after killing so many people they (Election Commission) are saying the firing was in self-defence. They should feel ashamed. This is a lie."
Mamata Banerjee will also hold a protest rally in Cooch Behar on Sunday against the alleged killing of four people.
Mamata Banerjee, meanwhile in a reply to the Election Commission also defended her action, she said she has the highest regard for the Central Armed Police Forces and in her speech there was no attempt to threaten, incite or influence the electorate against the forces.
Though police claimed that the central forces opened fire in self-defence, the Election Commission has adjourned the polling process in the booth and sought a report from the special police observer and CEO Ariz Aftab by Saturday evening. The final decision regarding the incident will be taken after the commission examines the report.
Besides, referring to the cut money issue and alleged extortion by the Trinamool Congress leaders the Prime Minister said that Didi and her goons have become jittery seeing the people's support for the BJP. Seeing her rule coming to an end, "Didi has stooped to this level. But I would like to make it clear to the TMC that this won't work in Bengal," Modi said.
Referring to Mamata Banerjee's recent comments on central forces for which she was served a notice by the Election Commission, Modi at his Siliguri rally said, "Can you imagine a head of the state is giving training to the voters to gherao central forces?"
In a separate meeting at Krishnangar in Nadia district, Modi said, "Handicrafts, business, marketing, investment aren't among the TMC's priorities. Didi's TMC is an expert in 'tolabaazi', cut-money." He also alleged that TMC is an expert in killing BJP workers and in rigging.
He added that Mamata Didi abuses the EC, CAPF, EVMs to the extent that Didi is abusing her own party's polling agents now. "She is so desperate that she is defaming Bengal's voters, Didi, o Didi! People of Bengal don't expect you to have sensitivity anymore," he said.
He went on to say, "the reason behind Didi's anger is not only BJP & Modi but the people whose trust Didi has broken. The minority community that Didi persuaded is in distress so she needs to appeal to them continuously", he added.
Raising his voice for the people of Bengal he said, "this election is not only being fought by BJP but people of Bengal are also fighting this election."