Timing of Pulwama attack worries Mamata Banerjee

Kolkata: Chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah of trying to project themselves as “patriots” while treating others as “foreigners” in wake of the deadly terror attack which killed more than 40 Central Reserve Police Force jawanas at Pulwama in Jammu and Kashmir last week.

Lashing out at the BJP-led NDA regime at the Centre she blamed them of trying to launch a “shadow war” ahead of the Lok Sabha Elections. Addressing a press meet at Nabanna, the state secretariat the Trinamul Congress supremo questionned the timing of the attack before the polls. She also wondered why no steps were taken to foil the terror strike despite having intelligence inputs.

Ms Banerjee not only claimed of her cellphone being tapped but also endorsed a recent US intelligence report which predicted of violence ahead of the polls while referring to the incidents of violent attacks by the BJP and its affiliate organisations including RSS on the people in wake of the terror strike. Ms Banerjee said, “So many jawans were killed. Weakness, negligence and callousness are behind their killings.”

She asked, “Why were 2000 jawans allowed to travel together in a convoy of 78 vehicles? The government had prior information that an attack may take place. At least the intelligence inputs from February 8 show that. I also have intelligence.”

The Trinamul chief noted, “To my utter surprise I now find that we are sitting silent while Modiji and Mr Shah are giving lectures. On the pretext of giving lectures the way they are talking sounds as if only they are patriots while others are foreigners and extremists. We do not need to learn patriotism from them.” She observed how Pakistan would dare to orchestrate the attack ahead of the Lok Sabha Elections.

Ms Banerjee asked the Modi government, “I have a doubt. How could you allow Pakistan to carry out the attack if they are involved? What are the steps you took in the past five years? You suddenly feel the need to wage a war....a shadow war on the eve of the elections. You thought to play with the people's lives. Did anyone see what Mr Shah said on Sunday? They are playing politics shirking their responsibility.”

On the backdrop of incidents of attempts of lynching individuals in different parts of the city in the past two days the chief minister alleged, “The BJP, RSS and VHP are trying to trigger communal riots. They are taking out late-night rallies with national flags to encash the tragedy for political dividend. It is their planned game. We will take action and resist their attempts.”

The West Bengal chief minister said that though she had in mind what action should be taken in the wake of the terror strike she would not speak about it publicly when the entire opposition was together. “If there is a united platform, I can give the suggestions....Speak my mind,” she said.

She also asked people not to fall prey to “provocation by communal forces” and directed police to remain alert.