PM Modi running parallel government in West Bengal: CM Mamata Banerjee

KOLKATA: In her most explosive outburst against Central forces, chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday said they were fomenting trouble, beating up and coercing voters.
Threatening to pay back inch-for-inch, Banerjee said: “(PM) Narendra Modi is running a parallel government in Bengal. We are monitoring everything silently. Our silence is not our weakness. You have insulted me a lot. We will pay you back.”
“Law and order is a state subject but they have tried to take control of it. They must do what they are supposed to, according to EC stipulations, but law and order is not their area. They have illegally beaten up men and women. Even journalists were not spared. The Modi govt is thinking they can control voters with these central forces,” Banerjee said.
She added that “they (the Centre) are not allowing me to run the government. They do not have the power to interfere in our matters. Central forces have no right to intimidate or coerce voters. Law will take its own course”.
The CM, however, took care to clarify her position regarding central forces. “I do not disrespect the central forces. But they are being instructed to influence voters. On the pretext of deploying central forces in Bengal, BJP is forcefully pushing BJP and RSS activists here. I doubt that some RSS activists in (central forces’) uniform are being pushed into Bengal,” she alleged.
Referring to the Keshpur firing, Banerjee said: “Today, there was a firing by the central forces inside a booth. I have heard that one of my brothers belonging to the minority community was injured.”
She further alleged that central forces personnel were asking voters standing in queues to exercise their franchise in favour of the saffron party. “How can they do that? Is this the job of the central forces to ask voters to cast vote for BJP? A few retired officers are being used by the Modi government to conduct polling here and they are doing whatever they feel like,” Banerjee said.
“You should be ashamed of doing this (asking people to vote for Modi)... You are here to do a job. Today, you are under Modi, tomorrow you will be under somebody else. Then what will you do?” she added.
Speaking at four public rallies in South 24 Parganas, the Trinamool chief also lashed out at BJP for packing Bengal with outsiders. “Modi is running a dictatorial regime. Nowhere in the world would you find such an oppressive government. One minister of Assam has stationed himself in Taj Bengal. He had received Rs 3 crore from Saradha. Why is CBI not arresting him? He is distributing crores in South 24 Parganas to foment trouble and violence. The BJP brought goons from Jharkhand to create trouble in Purulia. Goons from Odisha were brought in for creating trouble in Dantan,” Banerjee alleged.
“Modi has looted the country. If they win this time, elections will no longer be held. He will run an oppressive regime like Hitler’s and Mussolini’s. There is no bigger riot-monger than Narendra Modi. They orchestrated riots in Gujarat and killed people. Atal-ji (Vajpayee) had instructed him to follow ‘raj dharma’ and warned him he would dissolve the Gujarat government. I have the courage to speak up against BJP. I am not afraid of them,” she said.