Mamata threatens revenge `inch by inch' after polls

TT, 13 May 2019, Calcutta: Mamata Banerjee on Sunday threatened badla (revenge) "inch by inch" after the general election ends, alleging RSS activists in the uniform of central forces from outside the state were being sent to Bengal to influence the polling here. The Trinamul Congress chief, who held four rallies in the afternoon, said the central forces too should be "ashamed" of allegedly trying to influ- ence voters to vote for Narendra Modi and reminded them that they might not be under him in future.

"First of all, I do not disrespect central forces. But they are being ordered to influence voters. In the excuse of central forces deployment, the BJP is getting BJP and RSS activists to Bengal. I suspect that some RSS activists in uniform are being sent here," she said at Basanti in South 24-Parganas.

"Since morning, the central forces have created a lot of trouble, beating up and coerc- ing voters. Law and order is a state subject but they have tried to take control of it. Remember, the elections are here for a few more days, after which they will be gone. After that, there will be inch by inch badlaSince the third phase of polling on April 23, Mamata has been belligerent regarding the central forces. She has been going after the Election Commission of India too, accusing the body of being hand in glove with the ruling dispensation at the Centre. But prior to Sunday, she had not issued such a warning.

Trinamul sources said her patience with the alleged excesses of the central forces in the state and that she was convinced that many of their personnel were following orders from the BJP.

Mamata alleged that central force personnel in charge of the BJP's Ghatal candidate Bharati Ghosh had opened fire in a booth, injuring a person.

"There was firing by central forces inside a booth. I got to know that a brother from a minority community was injured," she said.

The Trinamul chief alleged that central forces personnel were telling voters in queues outside booths to vote for the BJP. "How can they do this? Is this the assignment of the central forces here, to tell voters to vote for the BJP?" she asked, accusing the Modi-led Centre of having sent retired officers to oversee elections in Bengal, apparently referring to special state observer Ajay Nayak and special central police observer Vivek Dubey.

"You (the central forces) should be ashamed of doing these things…. You are here to do your job. How can you campaign in favour Modi? Tomorrow, when Modi will be ousted from power, where will you hide?" she asked.

Mamata went on to accuse Modi of trying to run a parallel administration in Bengal.

"Modi is running a parallel government in Bengal. We are monitoring everything silently. Our silence is not our weakness. You have insulted me a lot. We will pay you back.".