File image of Mamata Banerjee addressing a poll rally. ANI
The West Bengal chief minister added that she intends to visit Sitalkuchi, the place of the firing, by 14 April but the EC is 'restricting entry' into Cooch Behar district
File image of Mamata Banerjee addressing a poll rally. ANI
Siliguri: Describing the incident of firing in Cooch Behar as a "genocide", West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday said the Election Commission has restricted the entry of politicians in the district for 72 hours as it seeks to "suppress facts".
The TMC supremo, while addressing a press meet in Siliguri, claimed that central forces "sprayed bullets aiming at the torso of the victims" in Sitalkuchi area, when the fourth phase of polling was underway in the state.
"There was genocide at Sitalkuchi. I would like to visit Sitalkuchi by 14 April. The EC is trying to suppress facts by restricting entry in Cooch Behar. We have an incompetent home minister and an incompetent central government," Banerjee said.
"যত লোক গুলি করেছে, যতগুলো গুলি করেছে, সব কিন্তু বুকের উপরে করেছে। এটা GENOCIDE।”
"Those who opened fire shot at people’s chests. This is a GENOCIDE.” -@MamataOfficial pic.twitter.com/WVTHg9bDoV
— All India Trinamool Congress (@AITCofficial) April 11, 2021
Four persons died on Saturday when CISF personnel opened fire allegedly after coming under attack from locals, who "attempted to snatch their rifles", the police had said.
"The CISF doesn't know how to handle situations. Since the first phase of elections, I had been saying that a section of the central forces are committing atrocities on people. I had flagged the issue in Nandigram, but none paid attention to my words," she said.