BackModi govt made concocted statement in Parliament: Mamata Banerjee
Mamata Banerjee has now left the West Bengal secretariat building after an overnight stay protesting against the presence of the army at toll plazas in the state
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Kolkata: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday accused the Narendra Modi government of making a “wrong and concocted" statement in Parliament regarding deployment of army at toll plazas in West Bengal.
“They told Parliament that the state government’s permission was taken. It is absolutely wrong and concocted," Banerjee told reporters before leaving the West Bengal secretariat after an overnight stay protesting against the presence of army personnel.
Earlier in the day, the army rebuffed Banerjee’s allegation that its personnel were deployed at the toll plazas without informing the state government and were collecting money, saying the exercise was being carried out in coordination with Kolkata police.
“This is being done in coordination with local police authorities. The exercise was earlier planned for 27 and 28 November. The dates were changed to 30 November to 2 December on a specific request by the Kolkata police due to Bharat Bandh called on 28 November," said GOC Bengal area (officiating) Maj. Gen. Sunil Yadav. “We deny all charges with all contempt."
Banerjee, on her part, said only Bengal was targeted and such exercise was not done in any other state. “I was MP for a long period. I was railway minister and held other portfolios like sports and coal. I have never seen such arrogance which is directionless," Banerjee said. “They are doing whatever they like by force. The people are suffering. They cannot even withdraw their salary. The people’s fight will continue. It cannot be stopped by hatching conspiracy and showing force", she said. “Two more persons died today facing hardship to withdraw money."
The chief minister said that the opposition parties raised this issue and thanked them for it. Banerjee said that Modi government has failed to bring Rs50 trillion in black money stashed abroad.
Earlier, in the Parliament on Friday, defence minister Manohar Parrikar rebuffed Banerjee’s claims that only Bengal was singled out for the army exercise, adding that similar drills was carried out in Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Nagaland, Tripura, Meghalaya and Mizoram.
“It is shocking that a chief minister is saying this. The army’s deployment was part of routine exercise which has been going on for several years, which has been going on for last 15-20 years. Even last year it was held on 19-21 November ."
“Concerned officials were informed in West Bengal. The original date was fixed for 28-30 November, but due to Bharat Bandh, the local police had advised the army to shift it to 1 and 2 December," he said. “Due to traffic congestion, the exercise is being done with the help of local police."
On Friday, Trinamool Congress leaders in both Houses of the Parliament alleged that neither the state government, nor local administration including police were taken into confidence on the exercise or their permission sought. The Congress and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) too wanted to know from the government how such an unprecedented move to carry out an army exercise without taking state government into confidence was done.
“It was very unfortunate that army has been dragged into an unnecessary controversy," Parrikar said. “It was political frustration rather than projection of correct situation."
The army has also released letters written to the West Bengal government on the exercise. “It is now happening in nine states now across 80 locations," Yadav said.
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