Bengal campaign ends, war of words continues

STATUE POLITICS Mamata spurns Modi offer to build new Vidyasagar bust

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Mamata Banerjee sustained their rancorous war of words until the last moment, and the entire Opposition ranged behind the latter and against the Election Commission of India (EC), before the campaign drums fell silent prematurely in West Bengal on Thursday, three days before the seventh and final phase of voting in the 17th general election.

The campaign for the nine remaining Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal ended at 10pm in line with EC’s unprecedented Wednesday order, cutting short the campaign in the state by a day following Tuesday’s pitched battles in Kolkata between supporters of the TMC and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at a roadshow by BJP chief Amit Shah.

On Thursday, the acrimony between Modi and Banerjee centred on the vandalising of a bust of Bengali Renaissance icon and social reformer Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar by a crowd that stormed Vidyasagar College on Kolkata’s College Street at the roadshow. Modi let go of a salvo even before he reached West Bengal to address his last two rallies, accusing TMC supporters of being responsible for the vandalism, repeating an allegation made by Shah the previous day.

“Going to West Bengal for a rally in Dum Dum. Let us see if Didi [Banerjee] allows it. If she has her way she will not allow the helicopter to land,” Modi said in Uttar Pradesh’s Mau, promising to replace the vandalised bust.

“We saw hooliganism by TMC workers again during Bhai Amit Shah’s roadshow in Kolkata, they vandalised Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar’s statue. We are committed to Vidyasagar’s vision and will install his grand statue at the same spot,” Modi said.

After reaching Mathurapur in Bengal, Modi alleged that the local police, in connivance with the state government, was trying to wipe out evidence such as CCTV footage of the involvement of TMC workers in the vandalism. “Vidyasagar ji was a son of not only Bengal but of entire India. By vandalising his statue, the perpetrators have committed an act of sin. I demand strict action against those responsible,” he said.

“The TMC and their goons have made Bengal hell,” Modi said. He added: “Didi has lost her cool in the face of imminent defeat. She has become so frustrated that she is threatening me that she will put me behind bars.”

In Dum Dum, Modi said the Lok Sabha election will remain etched in memory for the attacks made on democracy and opposition workers in Bengal.

At an election rally Mathurapur, Banerjee said, “He [Modi] has said in UP that they [BJP] will build a statue of Vidyasagar. We will not accept it. Bengal has the money to build the statue.

The Election Commission’s decision to transfer West Bengal Crime Investigation Department’s additional director general Rajiv Kumar and relieve the state’s home secretary Atri Bhattacharya of his duties in the wake of clashes between Trinamool Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party workers was based on a two-page report by its observers on location. The report, reviewed by HT, details what happened during and after BJP president Amit Shah’s Tuesday rally and ends by asking for “Exemplary action against Sh Atri Bhattacharya, Principal Secretary, Home and Sh Rajeev Kumar, Addl DG, CID”.

In Kumar’s case, the report mentions how he went to the Peerless Hotel in the New market area in the intervening night between Tuesday-Wednesday, to bring BJP spokesperson Tejinder Bagga to Jorasanko police station. “Rajeev Kumar had no authority since these three cases arising out of law and order incident squarely fell in the domain of the Commissioner of Police, Kolkata. He has, therefore, clearly exceeded his brief.’’

The three cases referred to are those registered after the violence on Tuesday, in which 100 people were detained, out of which 58 were charged and the others let off.

In Bhattacharya’s case, the report refers to letter that he wrote to the state Chief Electoral Officer. The report describes the letter as “literally directing” how the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) should be conducting itself. The report calls it “a direct interference in the conduct of elections’’ something which is the job of the EC.

The report also joined issue with the home secretary’s letter suggesting that Quick Response Teams (QRTs) of the Election Commission did not have any local police escort. The report said that this was an inaccurate suggestion since each such team has a constable attached and the local Station House Officer was also free to follow the QRT. The observers said that the state government has tried to project the impression that law and order is the EC’s responsibility, whereas it continued to be in the domain of the state government.

On Thursday, Rajeev Kumar reported for duty to the ministry of home affairs to which he has been transferred. He then immediately proceeded on leave.

On Wednesday, the Election Commission pruned 19 hours off the previous deadline for close of campaigning in West Bengal. Several Opposition parties including the Trinamool Congress said this was done to ensure there was no disruption of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s two rallies scheduled for Wednesday.

An EC official denied this and said its record is clear.

› I thought the EC is impartial but it seems it is sold to BJP. I am ready if I have to go to jail for saying this MAMATA BANERJEE, Bengal CM

› It is unfortunate that the EC acted under pressure of the Centre in curtailing electioneering in Bengal while the PM could address two rallies today MAYAWATI, BSP chief

› Didi (Banerjee) is abusing the EC... But there was a time when during the Left rule, she too used to demand central forces’ deployment NARENDRA MODI, prime minister