BJP spreading rumours about Bengal violence: Mamata

Alleging that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was spreading rumours about violence in West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday accused the saffron party of plotting a conspiracy to topple her government.

"There is no point sending me behind bars. If the BJP thinks it can stop me from opposing them by shutting my mouth and plotting a conspiracy to topple my government, it must know an injured tiger is more dangerous than a dead one," Banerjee said after a review meeting.

She alleged that her Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders have been threatened in the name of Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

The TMC chief said her government in the state was elected by the people and the next Assembly elections would be conducted after two years as per schedule.

"Our state is the best. Our performance was the best at the all India level. Rumours about violence in West Bengal have been spread through the social media to defame Bengal. There were two-three post poll incidents due to the BJP," she said at the state Secretariat, Nabanna.

According to the police, political violence in 24 Parganas' Sandeshkhali on Saturday claimed lives of three political workers -- two from BJP and one from TMC. The two parties, however, claim at least seven deaths.

The Chief Minister said: "They are also telling lies about number of deaths. Two (BJP) persons died (in Sandeshkhali), but they claimed five deaths. They also claim that three of their supporters were missing without mentioning details of their identities." 

Banerjee alleged the BJP-led Central government had issued an advisory to the state in order to prevent her from "exposing the BJP's game plan" in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections. She claimed that many institutions of democracy had already "sold out".

Commenting on the general election results in which the TMC bagged 22 Lok Sabha seats, 12 less than 2014, Banerjee reiterated her doubts on electronic voting machines (EVMs). 

"Would you believe that the CPI-M transferred all its votes (in favour of the BJP)? Can anyone control all the votes? The Election Commission should look into it. I have heard that the CPI-M got no votes in two booths in Siliguri. Which means even their polling agents did not vote for the party. Is it an outcome of pre-planned programming?" Banerjee wondered. IANS