NEW DELHI: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee visited riot-affected Murshidabad on Monday and fired off a political salvo at the BJP-ruled Centre , accusing it of "creating communal tensions".
Mamata also levelled charges against the BSF, claiming that had the security forces refrained from firing a shot, the riots in Murshidabad would not have happened and that violence in the district was "well planned".
"Why did the BSF fire shots? If BSF hadn't fired shots the incident would not have flared up next day. I would like to tell the BJP that instead of creating communal tensions take care of the borders. When you are in the chair you cannot divide people. I came to meet the victims but why have they been secretly taken away. There is some conspiracy in this," the West Bengal CM said.
Crying conspiracy over what transpired in Murshidabad, the TMC supremo alleged that the incident was "orchestrated and well planned".
"When I carry out any political activity, for me Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Christian all are equal. I don't want people of any religion to get attacked. Within one day of the incident the National Commission for Women arrived here. They did not go to Manipur, UP or Rajasthan," she said.
"This incident has been orchestrated and it was well planned. Those who have provoked this violence, Bengal will not tolerate such people. I am not against anyone but I am against riots. Why are they so much perturbed over Jagannath Dham? In Odisha, Maharashtra people are being beaten up for speaking Bengali," Mamata claimed.
'BJP forcibly shifted Murshidabad victims'
Mamata stepped up her attack on the rival BJP, saying that the Murshidabad riot victims were "forcibly" shifted to other places so that they could not meet her.
"The BJP took away the families of those affected by the Murshidabad riots so that they can't meet me. Is this not kidnapping? What harm would it have caused, had I met them here and handed over them cheques," she asked.
The chief minister reiterated her warning to the Centre, saying, "Instead of inciting communal violence, efforts must be taken to protect our borders."
She also reminded the ruling party of the Centre of its constitutional responsibility
"When you are in the chair, you cannot divide the people on religious lines," she added.
Mamata attacks NHRC
The West Bengal CM lashed out at the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), questioning the panel's priorities in view of the recent visit of its members to Murshidabad.
She also asked whether NHRC members visited BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh and ethnic violence-hit Manipur, which is now under the President's rule.
"Did the NHRC visit Manipur and Uttar Pradesh? They were prompt in visiting Murshidabad. Just like online payment platforms came out with front-page advertisements in newspapers a day after the announcement of demonetisation in 2016, the NHRC was quick to visit Murshidabad just after the riots took place. That is why I am saying that it was pre-planned," Banerjee alleged, according to news agency PTI.
"I have unearthed most of the conspiracy, I will expose this before the media…Unfortunately, some media houses played into the hands of the BJP in spreading canards," she claimed.
Mamata also levelled charges against the BSF, claiming that had the security forces refrained from firing a shot, the riots in Murshidabad would not have happened and that violence in the district was "well planned".
"Why did the BSF fire shots? If BSF hadn't fired shots the incident would not have flared up next day. I would like to tell the BJP that instead of creating communal tensions take care of the borders. When you are in the chair you cannot divide people. I came to meet the victims but why have they been secretly taken away. There is some conspiracy in this," the West Bengal CM said.
Crying conspiracy over what transpired in Murshidabad, the TMC supremo alleged that the incident was "orchestrated and well planned".
"When I carry out any political activity, for me Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Christian all are equal. I don't want people of any religion to get attacked. Within one day of the incident the National Commission for Women arrived here. They did not go to Manipur, UP or Rajasthan," she said.
"This incident has been orchestrated and it was well planned. Those who have provoked this violence, Bengal will not tolerate such people. I am not against anyone but I am against riots. Why are they so much perturbed over Jagannath Dham? In Odisha, Maharashtra people are being beaten up for speaking Bengali," Mamata claimed.
'BJP forcibly shifted Murshidabad victims'
Mamata stepped up her attack on the rival BJP, saying that the Murshidabad riot victims were "forcibly" shifted to other places so that they could not meet her.
"The BJP took away the families of those affected by the Murshidabad riots so that they can't meet me. Is this not kidnapping? What harm would it have caused, had I met them here and handed over them cheques," she asked.
The chief minister reiterated her warning to the Centre, saying, "Instead of inciting communal violence, efforts must be taken to protect our borders."
She also reminded the ruling party of the Centre of its constitutional responsibility
"When you are in the chair, you cannot divide the people on religious lines," she added.
Mamata attacks NHRC
The West Bengal CM lashed out at the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), questioning the panel's priorities in view of the recent visit of its members to Murshidabad.
She also asked whether NHRC members visited BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh and ethnic violence-hit Manipur, which is now under the President's rule.
"Did the NHRC visit Manipur and Uttar Pradesh? They were prompt in visiting Murshidabad. Just like online payment platforms came out with front-page advertisements in newspapers a day after the announcement of demonetisation in 2016, the NHRC was quick to visit Murshidabad just after the riots took place. That is why I am saying that it was pre-planned," Banerjee alleged, according to news agency PTI.
"I have unearthed most of the conspiracy, I will expose this before the media…Unfortunately, some media houses played into the hands of the BJP in spreading canards," she claimed.
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