Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, May 6: Bolstered by the massive mandate she was given by the people of her state, the West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee began her third consecutive innings on Thursday with confrontation against the centre.
Banerjee publicly showed her irritation at the centre sending a four-member team of officials from the union home ministry to probe into alleged post-poll violence which the Trinamool Congress leader claimed was “BJP’s making,” the prime minister Narendra Modi speaking to the governor Jagdeep Dhankhar asking him to send a report immediately, the governor in turn pestering the West Bengal police for a report quickly, and the BJP national president J P Nadda touring the state claiming 14 party workers having being killed that showed “total collapse” of law and order situation in the state.
All these even when the country is fighting against the pandemic and scores of people dying allegedly for want of oxygen and collapse of the health infrastructure. Banerjee on Thursday accused the BJP of inciting violence and criticised the Union government for sending a team to the State within 24 hours of her government formation.
“Within 24 hours of the swearing-in of the new government, a Central team came to the State. The BJP should accept the mandate of people,” she said at a press conference at the State Secretariat.
Union Minister of State for External Affairs and BJP leader V Muraleedharan’s convoy was allegedly attacked by locals in Panchkhudi area of West Midnapore district on Thursday with the minister claiming the attack was orchestrated by “TMC goons.” The Union Minister, however, escaped unhurt. The purpose of Muraleedharan’s visit to the district was also not known.
A four-member team of the Union Home Ministry arrived in the State during the day and held a meeting with senior State officials. “I have not seen such a thing in my life. May good sense prevail. Such threats will not work,” Banerjee said. “Some fake videos were being circulated on the social media and police would take strong action against those spreading them,” she said. Several videos which BJP circulated as proof of attack on its workers in West Bengal have proved to be fake, having being picked up by the party from old incidents in Odisha and Bihar. Banerjee, in an allusion to frequent confrontations it often had with the centre in the last few years, asked the BJP-led centre to refrain from sending central teams over matters that may not exist.
“It’s not yet been 24 hours since the government took over and they are sending teams and ministers here,” said Banerjee, who took charge as Chief Minister for a third time. “Anyone who comes from outside, even by special flights, we want RT-PCR tests and there will be no discrimination with anyone,” she said.
The Home Ministry has sent a four-member team to assess the ground situation in Bengal. Reports from across the state and posts on social media have alleged Trinamool workers of attacking BJP workers and supporters. The Trinamool has pointed out many of them are fake reports. The Home Ministry had asked the Bengal government to take necessary measures to stop such incidents “without any loss of time”.
The Chief Minister announced a compensation of ₹ 2 lakh to each of the families of the deceased in political violence. She alleged that even Union Ministers were visiting the State and trying to incite trouble. “Anyone coming from outside, be it a Union Minister, will have to undergo RT- PCR test,” she said. Violence was more in areas where the BJP had won in the polls, she stated.
Banerjee has announced ₹ 2 lakh compensation for the families of anyone who died as a result of political violence.
“Some central ministers are instigating riots in Bengal even after elections. We have banned all political gatherings. They (BJP) cannot accept the people’s verdict, so they are indulging in this. Violence is happening in places where the BJP has got votes,” Banerjee said.
Nadda while claiming that 14 BJP workers were killed also alleged that “nearly one lakh people have fled their homes.”
The bitter relations between the governor and Banerjee ever since Jagdeep Dhankhar entered the Kolkata Raj-Bhavan, was visible again. Dhankhar who administered the oath of secrecy to Banerjee on Wednesday, criticised the Mamata Banerjee government over what he called “post poll violence and vandalism”. “Governance @MamataOfficial away from constitutional prescriptions. Post poll violence & vandalism continues unabated. ACS @HomeBengal has not even sent report sought by me 2 days ago & sitting ones from @WBPolice @KolkataPolice Silence of Fourth Pillar of Democracy baffling!” Dhankhar tweeted.
Banerjee did not take much notice of the governor’s criticism. “He (governor) does this every day. That is his habit. Let him tweet. He has to do some work. I have to work all day. He also has to do something and get publicity. His tweets are his matter. I don’t want to say anything on it,” Banerjee said.
The ongoing tussle between the two parties finds its genesis in the post-poll violence that took place hours after the TMC won its third successive term in the state on May 2. Several opposition parties, including the BJP, have accused the TMC of carrying out attacks on the cadre and offices of their political opponents in the state.
On Thursday, Mamata stated that at least 16 persons – mostly from the BJP and the TMC and one of the Samyukta Morcha — died in post-poll violence.
Muraleedharan shared a video on his Twitter handle where some people could be seen throwing sticks and stones at the minister’s convoy and chasing his car. They also broke the rear window of his car. “TMC goons attacked my convoy in West Midnapore, broken windows, attacked personal staff. Cutting short my trip,” Muraleedharan tweeted.
However, TMC West Midnapore district president Ajit Maity denied the minister’s allegations and said it was a “spontaneous protest” by the people against the BJP.
Nadda has said the TMC-sponsored violence has been in full swing in the state after the poll results were announced. Taking to Twitter, Nadda said, “The attack by TMC workers on the convoy of Union Minister V Muraleedharanji in West Midnapore is very condemnable. I said yesterday that the law and order in Bengal has completely collapsed. What will be the situation of the general public at a place where a Government of India Minister is attacked?”
“TMC-sponsored violence has been in full swing in West Bengal since the election results. The BJP workers are constantly being attacked. When thousands of people are fleeing to save lives, incidents of rape are happening, then the Freedom of Speech and Human Rights advocates are missing,” he added.
Nadda, who was in West Bengal since Wednesday, had met the kin of workers of the saffron party who were allegedly killed during the post-poll violence. He also administered an “oath” to the party’s newly-elected MLAs to “dismantle political violence in Bengal.”