The ruling Trinamool Congress on Thursday said that the Election Commission has to take responsibility for alleged attack on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Nandigram when she was campaigning for the upcoming Assembly polls. TMC leader Partha Chatterjee asked who will take responsibility for attack on Mamata Banerjee and accused the poll body of acting as per orders of BJP.
He underlined that the Election Commission is in charge of administration since the Model Code of Conduct came into effect the day schedule of the polls were announced. He said that after Mamata Banerjee became candidate in Nandigram, state DGP was removed.
"The law and order situation in Bengal was good. But, after announcement of elections law and order become responsibility of the EC. The EC removed DGP of the state police and the very next day she was attacked," TMC secretary-general Partha Chatterjee said, adding that the EC can't shun responsibility as it is in charge of law and order situation in the poll-bound West Bengal.
Claiming that several comments by senior BJP leaders had dropped enough indications that Banerjee might be attacked, Chatterjee said "despite having those inputs the chief minister was left with no proper security".
"Who will take responsibility for attack on Mamata Banerjee, when EC is in charge of administration? EC has to take responsibility for the incident. They are acting as per orders of the BJP leaders. The BJP is asking the EC to remove an official and they are removing him," he said.
The three-member TMC delegation, led by state minister Partha Chatterjee met EC officials and registered a complaint into the incident and demanded a thorough probe. Chatterjee was accompanied by TMC leader in Rajya Sabha Derek O'Brien and state minister Chandrima Bhattacharya.
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"You have to understand the chronology. You remove the DGP, leave a woman chief minister's security less and then attack her. If you go through social media post by the BJP leaders there have been indications that she would be attacked," O'Brien said.
Banerjee is at present undergoing treatment at the SSKM hospital in Kolkata with injury to her left leg, waist, shoulder and neck, according to doctors. The TMC supremo alleged on Wednesday evening that during her campaign in Nandigram, she was attacked by four-five men who pushed her, besides banging on her the door of her car, leading to the injuries.
The eight phases polling in West Bengal will take place on March 27, April 1, April 6, April 10, April 17, April 22, April 26 and April 29. Results will be declared on May 2. The term of West Bengal Legislative Assembly will expire on May 30.
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