West Bengal elections 2021: If anyone offers you money for your vote, take it, Mamata Banerjee tells voters

West Bengal Election 2021: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday courted controversy when she suggested to the people of the state that they should take money for their vote, if offered. She said that a Dalit family recently hosted some BJP leaders but they had to bear all the cost for the food. The chief minister said that she has asked her party workers to pay to such families who did not have the resources.

“A Dalit family said that we fed them (BJP leaders arriving at their house) from our pocket, how can we pay the amount? I will tell my workers that when you see something like that, then pay them,” Banerjee was quoted as saying by ANI. The chief minister, however, added that “if anyone gives you money for vote, take the money”.

Banerjee also alleged that the BJP had been trying to disturb the TMC’s meetings by sending some people. She said that now she will also do the same and disturb the meetings of BJP and CPI(M). “I have been seeing for a few days that some people are being sent by BJP to create disturbance in our meeting. Now, I will send some people to disturb BJP, CPM meetings,” the chief minister said in Purulia.

The BJP and TMC have been accusing each other of creating disturbance in their rallies and public meetings. On Monday, the BJP claimed that the TMC workers had attacked its rally in South Kolkata. Sharing a video, the Bengal unit of BJP said: “Incorrigible TMC goons showing their true colours by unleashing violence during BJP’s South Kolkata roadshow! No wonder they are unnerved by the people’s support for BJP! This is a direct and violent attack on democracy!”

This is the situation of democracy in West Bengal under the rule of @MamataOfficial and @AITCofficial.

This is not a district or remote area but South Kolkata, the so called fort of Mamata Banerjee.

Shame on TMC! https://t.co/GrEwduGhC7

— Arjun Singh (@ArjunsinghWB) January 18, 2021

Commenting on the tweet, BJP MP Arjun Singh said that this was the situation of democracy in West Bengal under the rule of chief minister Mamata Banerjee and TMC. “This is not a district or remote area but South Kolkata, the so-called fort of Mamata Banerjee. Shame on TMC,” he said. Suvendu Adhikari also shared the video saying, “Absolutely horrific scenes in the heart of the City of Joy! Anguished to share that criminal elements and miscreants from TMC attacked a peaceful political procession being taken out by the BJP.”