KOLKATA, April 14: TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday alleged that “logical discrepancy” under the SIR exercise is not an officially recognised term under the Election Commission framework and was selectively applied in West Bengal, unlike Bihar, to benefit the BJP.
Addressing a public rally at Pingla in Paschim Medinipur district, Banerjee urged women to “stand firm” against security forces if attempts are made to prevent people from voting, while asserting that she was not asking anyone to indulge in violence.The chief minister said, “There is no officially recognised term like ‘logical discrepancy’ under the framework of the EC. It is being selectively applied in West Bengal, unlike in Bihar, to benefit the BJP.” Banerjee added that she has not seen a “dirty party” like the BJP.
“The job of the central police is to maintain peace. We have no objection to that. But what if they prevent people from voting? I will request women to keep brooms in their hands and stand firm against those wearing boots and carrying arms. I am not asking you to assault anyone or incite a riot, but you must do everything to safeguard your rights,” Banerjee said.
“I even moved the Supreme Court to protect your rights, and only after that, the names of 32 lakh voters were enlisted,” she added.
Later, speaking at another rally in Tamluk in Purba Medinipur district, Banerjee questioned why such a large number of central forces were brought to West Bengal.
“They have brought in officers who are close to the BJP and replaced the ICs… If your sole aim was to keep peace here, you could have used the West Bengal Police. Why, instead of doing that, did you take away all their powers and bring in central forces from outside? People don’t see central forces during any natural calamity or riot,” she alleged.
The CM asked people to lodge complaints against any police officer if they were “tortured”.“Lodge complaints whenever police torture you,” she said.
The TMC supremo, urging people to vote against the BJP, said, “The BJP has snatched everything from you… Voting against it would be your only way to take revenge.” The BJP is holding rallies at places that have direct railway connectivity with Uttar Pradesh and Bihar so that they can bring in people from those states to fill up the venues, she alleged.She alleged that ahead of the elections, “instructions have been given to arrest booth agents”.
TMC, BJP WORKERS CLASH
Workers of the BJP and TMC clashed in the Dhapa area of east Kolkata on Tuesday, police said.The incident happened when BJP’s Entally candidate Priyanka Tibrewal was campaigning in ward 58 of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation, they said.
An altercation, which started over playing songs on high-bass loudspeakers, soon escalated, leading to scuffles, they added.
However, central forces and the local police brought the situation under control, and Tibrewal was escorted out of the area along with other BJP workers, an officer said.
Tibrewal demanded the suspension of the officers-in-charges over the incident.
“One of our workers was badly beaten and had to be hospitalised. Even some women police personnel were injured in the violence. TMC supporters are trying to terrorise BJP workers so that free and fair polling cannot take place on April 29,” she alleged. (PTI)
