Removal of poll officials: CM registers protest

Trinamool Congress chief Mamata  Banerjee on Friday registered protest  in regard to the Election Commission’s decision of not keeping faith in the state police.

While addressing a political rally she said it was unfortunate that the Election Commission was not keeping faith in state police. “Will they propose to bring police from United States to hold election in West Bengal,” she said adding “They should approach US President Obama to bring police to conduct poll.”

She said Delhi was behaving as if emergency was imposed. “Tell me political parties, there is an elected government in the state and Delhi is behaving in such a way as if emergency is imposed. If elections cannot be held in Bengal with the state police forces, it cannot be held in Delhi with the help of the Delhi police as well. This will be our 

demand. “I would like to see what kind of precedence the Election Commission sets then” she said while addressing an election rally on the last day of her campaign in North Bengal. The Election Commission had on Thursday removed a host of officials, including a District Magistrate (DM) and four Superintendents of Police (SPs) in the state.

“If you don’t have confidence in the Bengal administration, I have no objection. You can transfer anybody, but whoever you select for the posting is our man. He is from our state. One officer will go and another officer will come for one-and-a-half months,” Mamata said.

In a sarcastic vein, she told the Opposition, “Do one thing, approach (Barack) Obama. Tell the USA to supply forces. Deploy them in villages. Then see whether the people vote for you or not”.

Referring to the BJP and CPI-M, she said, “Will the Election Commission also cast votes for you?”

She also added the CPI(M) was behaving in such a way as if the Election Commission would cast their votes. She said the law and order situation was not bad and the Opposition was unnecessarily making noise. 

She reiterated that the opposition had conspired against her after failing to combat her politically.

Mamata Banerjee said that her party was in favour of holding free and fair election. But the Election Commission was going overboard. “I want peaceful election but they have insulted me.”

Criticising the CPI(M) she said CPI(M) was out of power for many years but from where the party was getting so much money. 

Banerjee maintained that in seats where BJP, Congress and CPI(M) were fighting the Election Commission was  transferring senior police officers. But will the Commission help to win the election? The Commission cannot cast vote in favour of their candidates and once the election results were out the opposition will have to go back to their homes.