The Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Friday said the Election Commission of India (ECI) should find out the perpetrators of the “attack” on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee during a poll campaign at Nandigram on March 10.
TMC secretary general Partha Chatterjee said that the “attack” was carried out by those who were “scared of her popularity”.
“We have raised a question about the responsibility and impartiality of the ECI. The commission has changed the DGP and ADG of state police. They can do so.
“But what about plugging loopholes in the proper security arrangements of a public figure like Mamata Banerjee?” Chatterjee asked.
The TMC leader said Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP national president J P Nadda lacked “basic courtesy to enquire about the health condition of the only woman chief minister in the country.”
Banerjee suffered injuries after she was allegedly attacked by unknown miscreants while canvassing in Nandigram constituency.
The incident took place hours after she had filed her nomination to contest from the seat in Purba Medinipur district, where she will take on her one time protege and now BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari.
The chief minister is now admitted to the state-run SSKM Hospital here.
Chatterjee, also a senior minister, alleged that the BJP was trying to prevent TMC leaders from filing nomination papers by raising fault in the technical process but the Trinamool Congress has faith in the judiciary and electoral system.
Asked about Suvendu Adhikari, his former ministerial colleague, who filed nomination paper as the BJP candidate from Nandigram, Chatterjee said Adhikari’s deposit will be forfeited.
“We wonder if Suvendu Adhikari has suddenly woken up to realise the alleged mistakes by the Trinamool Congress government after 10 years. Does he think everything was wrong from 2011 to 2020? What was he doing all these years, from 2011? Is he under any kind of pressure from the BJP?,” Chatterjee asked.
Four state committee leaders from the RSS-affiliated trade union joined the Trinamool Congress at Trinamool Bhavan in Chatterjee’s presence during the day.
Altogether 30 grassroot members of the organisation, have switched over to the TMC from March 12, the TMC leader said.
