Hitting out at West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on the alleged rigging during the civic polls, BJP MLA Asansol South Agnimitra Paul on Sunday claimed that 'outsiders' were brought into the state who 'attacked' every booth and rigged it at the behest Trinamool Congress (TMC).
Speaking about the alleged violence, Paul said, "We have observed a new trend in West Bengal: thousands of outsiders with firearms are being hired at a meagre amount of Rs 200. These people with lathis and arms attack every booth and rig it."
She further stated, "Actual election in West Bengal didn't happen as 99 per cent was rigged by TMC men."
Elaborating on the 'scientific rigging', she said, "They are trying to portray a peaceful picture from outside. But as a person enters the booth, the officer puts ink on the voter's finger and the voter is told that he has cast his vote. But in actuality, there is a TMC agent standing in the corner who has cast the vote. They haven't let the voters cast their votes. They just put the ink on the voter's finger to make it appear free and fair."
She further claimed that the BJP cadres were attacked by the TMC-hired goons. "Candidates and agents of Bharatiya Janata Party were attacked, threatened and injured. Some of the BJP candidates were unlawfully detained by the police. The media was attacked. Our state BJP president Sukanta Majumdar was attacked. Arjun Singh was heckled. BJP Mahila Morcha member Reshmi Dey from Birbhum was arrested by the police."
Paul termed TMC's vote manipulation as 'Chappashree'. Speaking to ANI, she said, "The Bengal CM has announced a new award-Chappashree. The one that gives maximum chappa (stamp) will be awarded."
While speaking on West Bengal governor Jagdeep Dhankhar 'calling upon' State Election Commissioner Saurab Das on Monday to brief him on the alleged civic poll 'violence and lawlessness', the BJP leader said, "I don't think Saurab Das will have guts to face the governor. He is controlled by the CM from Nabanna. Democracy is being crushed in Bengal."
The Bengal BJP unit has called for a 12-hour bandh in West Bengal on Monday to protest against the alleged widespread rigging and attacks on opposition party members during the civic polls in the state.
The districts where polling is underway are Darjeeling, Cooch Behar, Alipurduar, Jalpaiguri, Uttar Dinajpur, Dakshin Dinajpur, Malda, Murshidabad, Nadia, North 24-Parganas, South 24-Parganas, Howrah, Hooghly, Purba Medinipur, Paschim Medinipur, Jhargram, Purulia, Bankura, Purba Burdwan and Birbhum.
A clash between Trinamool Congress (TMC) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers broke out during civic polls in the state on Sunday. The BJP West Bengal vice-president Arjun Singh alleged that two Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) were vandalised in ward 9 and there is a similar situation across the state.
( With inputs from ANI )
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