Mamata urges PM to have control over Amit Shah

Accusing Home Minister Amit Shah of pressuring police to "engage in all forms of unethical acts", West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee described the ongoing assembly elections in the state, as a bid "to protect the respect of Bengal". Alleging that Shah was behind the attack on the TMC candidate of Mathabhanga seat as the BJP will lose the election, the Trinamool Congress supremo claimed that he will plan to kill her for speaking these in public.

Jamalpur/ Memari/Bardhaman:West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday alleged Home Minister Amit Shah was trying to incite violence in the state and egging the police to engage in unethical acts. Alleging that Shah was behind the attack on the TMC candidate of Mathabhanga seat as the BJP will lose the election, the Trinamool Congress supremo claimed that he will plan to kill her for speaking these in public.

"I have not seen such a 'gunda' (gangster), 'dangabaaz' (rioteer) home minister in my entire life. Amit Shah is more dangerous than a tiger. People fear to talk to him. I will urge PM Modi to control Amit Shah first. He is inciting riots here," Banerjee said while addressing a rally in Memari in Purba Bardhaman district.

Accusing Shah of pressuring police to "engage in all forms of unethical acts", she described the ongoing assembly elections in the state, as a bid "to protect the respect of Bengal".

Banerjee had earlier accused the central police forces of working at the behest of Shah following which the Election Commission of India (ECI) show-caused her.

"This election is to stop people from turning Bengal into another Gujarat. This election is to protect the women, mothers and sisters of Bengal, to protect the youths of our land," she said. She charged the Union home minister with planning the attack on Girindra Nath Barman, the TMC nominee for the Mathabhanga seat in North Bengal.

"Amit Shah has planned this attack. He is trying to incite riot so that law and order here (Bengal) is compromised. They (BJP) are doing this because they are losing the elections.

"I know that you will plan to kill me because I am speaking all these. You have injured my foot and you will plan to kill me. But I do not care. I will live life like a tigress till the last day of my life," she said.

Banerjee suffered a foot injury after a fall while campaigning in her constituency Nandigram on March 10. Since then, she is seeking votes for her party sitting on a wheelchair. The TMC supremo has been alleging that her injury was the result of a conspiracy hatched by the BJP. However, the Election Commission has concluded that it was an accident and not a planned attack.

Reacting to the notice served on her by the ECI for her comments over central forces intimidating voters, she said at a rally in Jamalpur that she would continue speaking about CRPF interference till it stops working for the BJP.

"I do not care anything about your (ECI's) showcause letters," the TMC supremo said. Claiming that the ECI is working at the behest of the BJP, Banerjee said that the prime minister campaigns on polling days, yet there is no ruling that he has violated the Model Code of Conduct (MCC).

She said that she is campaigning on election days because the prime minister is doing so. "Why are you (PM) having 'Pariksha pe charcha' in West Bengal where assembly elections are being held? Is it not a violation of the MCC?" she asked.

Banerjee also alleged that senior police officers were "purchased" and they are working for the BJP and asking people to vote for the saffron party.

PTI