Case Against Mamata For ‘Instigating’ People In Bengal

A case has been registered against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at a police station in the state’s Cooch Behar district, alleging that she instigated voters to ‘gherao’ central forces and that, in turn, led to the incident of firing in Sitalkuchi and the subsequent death of four persons.

Siddique Ali Mia, the district chief of BJP’s minority cell in Cooch Behar, cited the Trinamool chief’s comments during a rally in Banerswar area as he filed a complaint on Wednesday, claiming that her address provoked people to attack CISF force personnel during the fourth phase of state elections.

He attached a video clip of Ms Banerjee’s speech in his complaint at Mathabhanga police station. Villagers, after being provoked by such statements of Mamata Banerjee, tried to snatch fir arms of the deployed paramilitary forces, Mr Mia said.

“The said villagers, including women, launched attack upon the paramilitary forces with the intention of causing bodily injury, knowing it to be likely to cause death of the deployed paramilitary forces,” he wrote in his complaint, a copy of which is with PTI.

The BJP leader, when contacted, said he would launch a massive protest demanding the Chief Minister’s arrest, if the police “sits idle” on the case in the next few days.

“She is solely responsible for the death of those four people. She is answerable to all the voters of our district,” Mr Mia stated.

At least four persons died outside a polling booth in Sitalkuchi assembly constituency on April 10 when CISF personnel opened fire in “self-defence”, allegedly after coming under attack from locals.

The Election Commission had suspended the voting exercise at the booth following the incident.