BJP targeting Abhishek Banerjee, me; face risk: Mamata Banerjee

PTI

Kumarganj (WB), April 21

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday alleged that the BJP was targeting her and her nephew and TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee and that they did not feel safe.

Her allegation came a day after Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Suvendu Adhikari said there would be a “big explosion” on Monday that would shake the TMC and its top brass.

Says paramilitary force assaulted villagers

• Mamata Banerjee waved a piece of paper, claiming it to be a copy of an FIR against a central armed paramilitary force for assaulting villagers
• Two days ago, a team of the force raided a border village in Dakshin Dinajpur district and beat up villagers when they refused to pledge support to the BJP, she alleged
• “I am urging the EC to take note of the transgression of its role by the BSF. Instead of guarding the frontiers and stopping smuggling, they are terrorising villagers,” she said

“The BJP is targeting me and Abhishek, we are not safe, but we are also not afraid of the saffron party’s conspiracy. We urge everyone to be on guard against a conspiracy against TMC leaders and the people of West Bengal,” she said.

The TMC supremo was addressing an election rally at Kumarganj in the Balurghat Lok Sabha seat in favour of party candidate and state minister Biplab Mitra.

Responding to Adhikari’s remark, she said, “There is a traitor who joined the BJP to protect his family and ill-gotten wealth. Let me tell him, his threat to trigger a chocolate bomb explosion is treated with contempt by us.” Adhikari, a former TMC minister, defected to the BJP ahead of the 2021 Assembly elections in the state.

“If you have courage, come up with the truth, come up with facts. I guess it takes time for you to fully build up a false narrative, to fully hatch a conspiracy. But rest assured, we are ready to counter,” she said.

The TMC supremo alleged that the BJP is bringing in outsiders to the state to foment trouble. She wondered how the logo of Doordarshan could be painted in saffron during elections, alleging it was done to suit the BJP’s “religion-based vote bank politics and agenda”.

“Why did the DD logo suddenly turn saffron? Why were official residences of Army personnel painted in saffron? Why was the uniform of police in Kashi (Varanasi) changed to saffron?” she said.

The CM claimed if the BJP returned to power, there would be no more elections in future and the religious rights of several communities would be at stake.

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