Violence ‘planted game’ to topple her govt: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee

BJP took out rallies in Kolkata and elsewhere on Monday, as they observed a “Black Day” to protest against the killing of its workers and the alleged “deteriorating” law-and-order situation

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday accused the Centre and the BJP of engineering violence to topple her government, a charge dismissed by the saffron party which observed a “Black Day” in the state to protest the killing of its workers.

The BJP said it would not demand President’s rule in West Bengal even though “a lawless situation prevails” in the state as Banerjee would then seek sympathy votes, and vowed to “defy” her ban on its political programmes, including victory processions Amid spiralling post-poll violence in the state, West Bengal Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister Amit Shah in the national capital and apprised them of the situation in the state.

Unhappy with the Union Home Ministry advisory, Banerjee stepped up attack on the Centre, saying the violence was a “planted game” and rubbished speculation in the media about early polls in the state.

“The central government and (BJP) party cadres are trying to incite violence in West Bengal..we will not let Bengal turn into another Gujarat,” Banerjee told reporters at the state secretariat in Kolkata.

Her Trinamool Congress wrote a letter to Shah in which it objected to the Home Ministry’s advisory to the state government and termed it a “deep-rooted conspiracy” and an “evil ploy to grab power” in opposition-ruled states.

The BJP took out rallies in Kolkata and elsewhere, and held a shutdown in Basirhat on Monday, as they observed a “Black Day” to protest against the killing of its workers and the alleged “deteriorating” law-and-order situation in West Bengal.