Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday launched a scathing attack against the Centre and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), as she claimed that the delimitation provisions linked to the Women’s Reservation Amendment Bill are nothing but a ploy to divide the state again.
“Why did they have to bring the delimitation provisions with the Women’s Reservation Amendment Bill. This is yet another ploy to divide West Bengal. This is also another ploy to delete the names from the voters’ list further in the future and also to introduce the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in the state,” the Chief Minister said while addressing a campaign rally at Mathabhanga in Cooch Behar district ahead of the crucial two-phase Assembly polls.
Banerjee also indirectly targeted Union Home Minister Amit Shah, without naming him, over the latter’s recent public comments in West Bengal to identify and deport illegal infiltrators from the state if the BJP comes to power in the state.
“Someone had admitted that the special intensive revision in West Bengal was conducted to delete names from the voters’ list. After elections, those who are now speaking about deporting people from the state will be sent to the detention camps,” she said.
Banerjee expressed dissatisfaction over the frequent reports of violence in the Cooch Behar district before the polls. ‘This happens every time before any elections… that violence flares up in West Bengal. Today, I might not have any control over the law & order in the state. But after the election, I will regain that authority,” she said.
The Chief Minister also said that since the BJP neither had public support nor an organisational base in West Bengal, they were using the central agencies to fill those gaps.
“The BJP does not have enough strength to depute people to all the election booths. So they are trying to place personnel from the agencies there. They have come with loads of money,” she claimed.
(IANS)
