Kolkata: Cornered over failing to control the situation in Darjeeling and Basirhat districts, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday blamed the Centre for letting ‘foreigners’ enter India to create unrest in the state.
Addressing a public meet at Nandakumar in East Midnapore, she said, “Securing border is the responsibility of the central government. But instead of strengthening border security, they are letting people from other countries enter to perpetrate violence in Bengal.”
“They are conspiring against us for their vested interest. They opened up the border for the perpetrators and now the Centre is asking us to submit a report (on Darjeeling and Basirhat),” she said.
On the fresh bouts of violence in Darjeeling since Friday, she said it was unfortunate that the state is not getting any sort of support from the central government. Three people have been killed in clashes in the last three days, and the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, which is leading the demand for separate state of Gorkhaland, has refused to hold talks with her, saying it is now a “closed chapter.”
“It is unfortunate we are not getting any kind support from the central government. Bengal is ahead in many aspects and has to reach the number one spot again. For this, we need cooperation from the Centre. But despite a court order, CRPF troops have not been dispatched to Darjeeling. We will still have to stop all trouble with our lives,” she said.
The Centre has, however, refused her charge, saying it had deployed 1,100 security personnel in the town.
The CM also blamed the BJP for the communal clashes in Basirhat, saying the violence was due to its divisive politics. “We will never support any division among people in this state. BJP plays divisive politics but we don’t. One day, Delhi will follow West Bengal in how to keep all religion together for developmental work,” she said.
She said that her government will take action against anyone posting fake images to stir the communal pot in the state. “The people of Bengal will not tolerate the fact that some people are turning Facebook into ‘Fakebook’ by posting fake pictures and fake news for their political ends. We respect Facebook, but not any ‘Fakebook’,” she said.
Giving an example, she said that an incident in Comilla in Bangladesh was being passed off as having taken place in Bengal. Similarly, a clip from a Bhojpuri film was also shown as having taking place in Bengal to incite violence.
“They are sometimes rioting, and at other times indulging in arson – this seems to be their only work. We pledge that we won’t let such things happen here. Be careful of them, and do not be a part of their conspiracies,” the Chief Minister said.
She added, “I saw from a video clip that Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP, a sister organisation of the BJP) is giving arms training to women in Assam. Handling arms and ammunition is the work of the administration. So how can the VHP indulge in this? I can challenge them that it is illegal to do this. They want to wreak havoc on the country and destroy it.”