Suti/Sagardighi: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that “Nobody from the administration even informed me about the Malda incident”. She condemning the incident, she said that people had the right to protest but no one should touch the Judges or judicial officers, and alleged that the Malda episode was being used to defame the whole of Bengal.

My powers have been taken away by the ECI; I am not responsible for the gherao of seven judicial officers in Malda district on Wednesday.  Mamatha Benarjee addressing rallies at Sagardighi and Suti in Murshidabad district, on Thursday said that the judicial officers who were on duty in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise over alleged deletion of names from the electoral rolls

She asked the people not to fall into the BJP’s trap of riots. She blamed the ECI for failing to protect the judicial officers and asserting that she was fighting the battle politically despite having been stripped of administrative powers after the poll panel’s intervention. She accused Union Home Minister Amit Shah of scripting a blueprint of conspiracy to create unrest in Bengal and ultimately pave the way for President’s rule ahead of the assembly polls.

The CM claimed that the BJP and the Election Commission colluded together for the trouble leading to the gheraoing of judicial officers in Malda . Backing the apex court’s observations the SC has rightly said so, she added. The Supreme Court came down heavily on the West Bengal administration for their alleged inaction over the deplorable gherao and attack on seven judicial officers in Malda district during the SIR drive and ordered an independent probe by the CBI or NIA.

The BJP has made many plans and the Government of India is acting as its accomplice. Amit Shah is preparing the blueprint of a conspiracy. I appeal to all of you – do not fall into the trap of riots. This is the BJP’s plan, she  said at the Suti rally.

She alleged that they think BJP will win through muscle power. They think they can snatch victory by force. I appeal to everyone do not indulge in riots or violence. Remain calm. However much the BJP attacks Bengal, Bengal will win again, she added. She also said that people must ensure through their votes that those behind such attempts are punished. Those trying to divide people in the name of religion must be defeated democratically.

The SC asked the Election Commission to requisition adequate Central Forces and deploy them at all places where judicial officers are adjudicating the objections in the ongoing SIR of electoral rolls in the poll-bound state. I do not support violence. I stand for peace. Those who created the trouble are not from our party. I know which political party is behind it. The BJP also has a plan in this, she said.

Banerjee claimed that voter deletion was not confined to a few pockets but was taking place across the state, including in her own Bhabanipur assembly constituency. Do you think only your names have been deleted? In my Bhabanipur constituency alone, 40,000 names have been deleted. They are removing names one by one like lice are picked out from hair. Most of them belong to minorities, poor women and Hindu mothers and sisters, she said.