PM Modi condoles deaths in Cooch Behar

Siliguri/Krishnanagar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Saturday accused the ruling TMC of perpetuating a culture of violence in West Bengal, where five people were killed during polling, including four in firing by the CISF, and requested the Election Commission to take stern action against those responsible.

Modi, who addressed two rallies at Siliguri and Krishnanagar in Nadia district, also accused Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of instigating people against central forces and said the problem lay with her politics of "rigging elections and violence".

"What happened in Cooch Behar is unfortunate and sad. I extend my condolences to the bereaved families and request the Election Commission to take stern action against those responsible for the incident.

"Mamata Didi and her TMC goons have become jittery because of the groundswell of support for BJP. She is instigating people against the security forces. Didi is giving instructions on how to gherao and beat up our security forces. Is this the way you treat our brave hearts? She has stooped to this level as she can see her chair slipping away," Modi told an election rally in Siliguri in North Bengal.

Four people were killed when CISF personnel opened fire allegedly after coming under attack from locals, who "attempted to snatch their rifles" in Sitalkuchi in Cooch Behar district.

In a separate incident in the same constituency, a first-time voter was shot dead by unidentified miscreants outside a polling booth.

Making a strong defence of the central paramilitary forces deployed for election duty in Bengal amid allegations of high handedness by the TMC, Modi said they recently facilitated polls in four other states and there were no complaints.

"The Central forces conduct elections throughout the country. They conduct free and fair elections. Recently they conducted polls in four other states. There were no issues," he said.

"Actually, the problem is not with the central forces, Didi. Its with your politics of violence and rigging. Didi is angry as her goons are unable to do chappa (rig ballots) due to the presence of central forces," he said.

The prime minister said Banerjee was finding fault with EVMs and the Election Commission as she had sensed her defeat.

"She has used gaali (foul language) for EVMs, the EC and central forces. Shes now using abusive words even against her own polling agents as she has sensed defeat.

"Didi, this violence, the tactic of instigating people to attack the security forces, the tactic of obstructing the polling process will not protect you. You have to go out of power," he said.

While addressing a rally at Krishnanagar, Modi said the people of Bengal and not the BJP are contesting this election against Banerjees misrule.

"People of Bengal are contesting elections against you, you can defeat BJP but how will you beat people," he asked.

Reaching out to Muslim women, Modi said Banerjee did injustice to them by trying to obstruct the enactment of the law to ban instant triple talaq.

"Despite all the love they lavished on Didi, she stood against Muslim mothers and sisters on the issue of triple talaq and rallied behind fundamentalists," Modi said.

West Bengal of 2021, he said, will not allow anybody to tinker with democracy.