Mamata blames EC for Ram Navami clashes at Murshidabad

Kolkata, April 18 – West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, on Thursday, blamed the Election Commission (EC) for the stray incidence of clashes during Ram Navami processions at Murshidabad on Wednesday evening in which some persons were reportedly injured.

“The commission replaced the deputy inspector general of Murshidabad Range just before the Ram Navami festival. What was the reason for doing so. He was well acquainted with the entire district. There was no justification for replacing him. These are very sensitive states. We have to toil hard to keep things under control here,” the Chief Minister said while addressing an election rally at Raiganj in North Dinajpur district.

Recently, DIG (Murshidabad Range) Mukesh Kumar was replaced by Syed Waquar Raza, a 2008-batch Indian Police Service officer. Mukesh was removed reportedly after opposition parties accused him of not playing an unbiased role since the model code of conduct for the Lok Sabha polls had been in place.

Speaking at the election rally, the Chief Minister further said that in the clashes on Wednesday evening, even some officials of the district police were injured. Targeting the BJP, she claimed that they would first create problems in an area and then complain against Trinamool Congress holding it responsible.

Incidentally, the Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal assembly Suvendu Adhikari informed on Tuesday, that he had written a letter to West Bengal Governor C.V. Ananda Bose and requested him to take up the matter with the Commission so that the latter can take action against the Chief Minister for provoking the tension on Ram Navami procession through her speeches during the last few days.