Army rebuts Mamata’s ‘no info’ claim, says government was in loop

Kolkata: The Army on Friday punctured holes in chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s claims that her government was kept in dark about the deployment of its troops at toll plazas for annual data collection on the availability of load carriers in the state.

It asserted that Exercise Mahasanchalan 2016 got underway only after exchange of communication with the police, district administration and transport department and a joint inspection. At a press meet officiating GOC (Bengal Area) of the Eastern Command Major General Sunil Yadav informed that the exercise, covering 80 points in nine states, was being done “in coordination with the local police authorities.”

He said, “The exercise was earlier planned for 27 and 28 November 2016. The dates were changed to November 30 to December 2 on a specific request by Kolkata Police due to Bharat bandh called on November 28.”

Describing the allegations of collection of money by Army personnel as “totally baseless” Maj Gen Yadav added, “We deny all charges with all contempt.” He also provided details of the Army’s letters informing the state government’s different agencies on the forthcoming exercise at the Vidyasagar Setu Toll Plaza.

On November 24 Colonel Surinder Mahanl, the administrative commandant (Station Cell) at HQ Bengal Area wrote about it to HRBC vice chairman, Howrah Police Commissioner, state transport secretary, Kolkata Police Commissioner and district magistrate (Howrah).

Next day additional commissioner of police (III) of the Kolkata Police Supratim Sarkar replied to Col Mahanl objecting to the exercise at the Toll Plaza on the grounds of heavy vehicular movements there and Nabanna, the state secretariat, being the high security zone. He also suggested the Army to choose an alternative venue.

On November 26 Col Mahanl however made it clear to Mr Sarkar in a letter that the venue could not be changed due to the Army’s ‘operational requirement’ but ensured that the traffic movements would not be disturbed.

Maj Gen Yadav explained, “A joint recce was carried out by an Army team led by the administrative commandant and two police inspectors on November 27 at the toll plaza and mutually decided the venue.” Mr Sarkar however reasoned, “The recce was carried out to make them understand why it was not possible or advisable to conduct the exercise anywhere in the vicinity of Nabanna from the security point as also the traffic implications.”

On no reply to Col Mahanl’s last letter he added, “The letter was not responded to as the points raised by the Kolkata Police were made clear in the November 25 letter, which further impressed upon during the joint recce on November 27.”