Mamata Blames EC, Owaisi for Judges' Hostage In Malda

Berhampore: Blaming the Election Commission (EC) for failing to tackle the nine-hour hostage of seven judicial officers in a protest by angry voters at Kaliachak in Malda of West Bengal on Wednesday over the deletion of their names in the special intensive revision (SIR), chief minister Mamata Banerjee has indirectly accused AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi of triggering the unrest with the help of BJP to split votes in the ensuing Assembly polls.

The Trinamul Congress supremo, who addressed two poll campaign rallies at Sagardighi and Suti in Murshidabad on Thursday, however claimed herself unaware of the unrest and sympathised with the protesters’ sentiment but disapproved their act although fresh unrest including demonstrations and road blockade erupted at various parts of Malda since morning over the issue.

Ms Banerjee alleged, “Law and order is under the EC which works on the instructions of union home minister Amit Shah. EC has imposed a super President’s Rule with the help of Mr Shah and the Governor. I don’t know who were behind the incident in Malda. I was not even informed. Nobody, be the chief secretary or home secretary or director general of police, contacts or informs me about anything. The CS has not even called on me once. I got to know from a journalist around 12 am about the gherao of the judges.”

She claimed, “The CS has failed to control the situation. It is EC’s duty to maintain peace in Bengal. They have to maintain law and order but failed miserably. It is not my fault. They have appointed their officials and have failed to give protection to the judges. You (BJP) have tried to provoke people in many ways. The plan is to cancel the elections. If that happens, nobody will have the right to vote. They will capture Bengal forcefully.”

In an oblique reference to Mr Owaisi who campaigned in Murshidabad recently, the CM pointed out, “Someone flew in from Hyderabad. BJP gave money to some traitors to provoke you. They made you block roads and gherao the judges. What was the result? Whatever the SC has said today is correct. Don’t you know that CBI and NIA are used against protesters? This is BJP’s game plan. They don’t want elections. They want President’s Rule.”

Targeting former TMC leader Humayun Kabir who floated a new outfit Aam Janata Unnyan Party and allied with AIMIM, Ms Banerjee argued, “BJP has communal people. There are some of them here also. They have taken money from BJP to split votes. I have promised that none of you will be driven out and will be sent to detention camps. But, if you take up law in your own hands then CBI and NIA will arrest you. There are traitors among you as well. They have taken money from Delhi. Who has stopped you from building temples and mosques? How much money have you taken from them? The leader from Hyderabad helped in splitting Muslim votes in Bihar to help BJP.”

Reaching out to the protesters, Ms Banerjee said, “There is a discontentment among people in Malda, Murshidabad and Uttar Dinajpur. People have fallen prey to BJP’s game plan. I don’t support riots. Your anger is genuine. What happened yesterday has been a setback in our fight for the people. This was pre-planned. I will request the people of Malda and Murshidabad to maintain peace. Make sure you give no chance of getting arrested by CBI and NIA.”