Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today accused the Centre of trying to cause riots and bring down her government, saying it was because she was protesting against the BJP’s misdeeds. The Chief Minister who was hailed as a “tigress” yesterday by Shatrughan Sinha — also issued a veiled warning to the BJP, saying “an injured tiger is more dangerous than a dead tiger”.
“Social media – Facebook, WhatsApp… they are spending crores and trying to create riots… If there are riots, the Centre cannot avoid responsibility,” said the Chief Minister, who has been under pressure to maintain law and order in the state.
In an advisory yesterday, the home ministry accused the state government of failing to contain the violence that started in the run-up to the election.
“It is strongly advised to ensure that all necessary measures are taken to maintain law and order, peace and public tranquility. It is also requested to take strict action against officials found delinquent in discharge of their duty,” the advisory read.
Today, Governor Kesari Nath Tripathi met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and home minister Amit Shah and briefed them about the ground situation in the state following Saturday’s violence, in which two BJP men and a Trinamool worker was killed.
Ms Banerjee said the government is targeting her as she was investigating the “irregularities” in the Electronic Voting Machines during the recently concluded national elections.
“In EVMs, a lot of irregularity…. just to stop Mamata from investigating irregularities, the Centre is sending advisories,” said the Chief Minister, whose Trinamool Congress has lost a chunk of its Lok Sabha seats to the BJP.
From having 34 of the state’s 42 seats in 2014, the party was reduced to 22 seats. The BJP, which won just two seats in 2014, won 18.
“This (inciting violence in West Bengal) is a planted game. This is their game plan to throttle my voice, because they know that Mamata Banerjee is the only person in the country to raise voice against them. This conspiracy to bring down our government will not succeed,” the Trinamool chief said.
