Shah interfering in EC's work, says Mamata

Mejia: Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo, on Tuesday, upped her attack on Union Home minister Amit Shah and stated that he was interfering with the functioning of the Election Commission (EC) and the move to change her security-in-charge was a part of a ploy to kill her. Threatening to stage a sit-in protest, 'if needed' in front of the EC's office, she said Shah, instead of looking after the concerns of the nation, was busy 'hatching conspiracy to harass us'.

The TMC supremo, who was holding a public meeting here on Tuesday, with her leg in a cast and on a wheelchair even 200 km away from Kolkata, said: "Will the Union Home minister run the country or hatch conspiracy sitting in Bengal overnight to harass us? I respect the EC and want free and fair elections. But who is Amit Shah to interfere in day-to-day functioning of the EC. My security in-charge (Vivek Sahai) has been removed. What do they want? Do they want to kill me," Banerjee roared, adding that there is poor turnout in their rallies as people are not with them following their torture on Dalits, Kurmis and people from the minority communities.

The EC had changed her security-in-charge after the alleged attack on her in Nandigram on March 10.

"You have to kill me to win in Bengal just because the people are not with you? They are conspiring by sitting in Kolkata throughout the night and holding meetings. Instead of running the country, he (Shah) is conspiring whom to kill, whom to get arrested and against whom (central) agency has to be pressed. Houses of industrialists have also been raided. Notices have been sent to the Home Secretary. Leaders of farmers' agitation in Nandigram are being issued warrants. Will everyone who took part in Nandigram and Singur agitations face notices? I would ask the EC to look into this. Why are government officers and political persons being harassed during the elections?"

It needs a mention that TMC on Monday claimed that Shah did not physically attend the Jhargram rally due to poor turnout though he cited a snag in his helicopter as the main reason.

Saying that it is a shame on the part of "dozen of Union ministers" sitting in Bengal for the party leaving their work for the country's development, she took a dig at the saffron brigade for not coming to help the people of Bengal at the time of Covid and Amphan. "Goondas will be brought in trains from outside a day ahead of the elections. Be alert or else they will loot your votes," Banerjee said, requesting "mother and sisters" to come forward to restrict such people from operating on the days of elections.

Stepping up her attack by giving the "khela hobe" slogan, she came down heavily on the BJP and said: "They are mistaken if they are thinking that I cannot 'play' with an injured leg. An injured tiger is more dangerous. I have crores of mothers and sisters. They are my real strength."

She further added: "It is me who ensured peace here and BJP has managed to win based on false assurances in 2019. This time, the situation is different and we will give a befitting reply democratically as each and every vote will be cast in favour of the Trinamool Congress."

She demanded that the Centre should give free-of-cost cooking gas to people after holding it responsible for the abnormal hike in fuel prices. "Our fight is against the Centre's policy of closing all PSUs," she said.

Banerjee held three back-to-back rallies at Saltora, Chhatna and Raipur in Bankura on Tuesday.

While addressing at Chhatna, Banerjee said: "Trinamool Congress is now a happy family after defectors have left the party." She further said the candidate of Raipur has been changed as there were several complaints against him.

Meanwhile, in a letter to the TMC chief, the Election Commission on Tuesday said it would not like to keep on being put in the dock for alleged proximity to any political entity.

"Commission maintains the position that they would not like to keep on being put in the dock for alleged proximity to any political entity," Deputy Election Commissioner in charge of West Bengal Sudeep Jain wrote to Banerjee.