West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is rattled as the BJP is fighting corruption and taking the country on the path of progress, Union Minister Bhupender Yadav said on June 27 as he hit out at the TMC chief following her allegation that BSF jawans are intimidating voters in the State's border areas.
Ms. Banerjee on Monday accused Border Security Force (BSF) personnel of intimidating voters in West Bengal's border areas ahead of the panchayat election at the behest of the BJP. Her claims prompted a strong response from the force, which dubbed the allegation as "far from the truth".
Addressing the media at the BJP's headquarters, Mr. Yadav said when asked about Ms. Banerjee's allegation, "Those who are neck deep in corruption and those who are paralysing the country's governance with corruption… the BJP is battling to take the country on the path of progress with honesty and transparency."
"In such a situation, it is obvious for her to be rattled," he added.
Accusing BSF personnel of intimidating voters in the State's border areas at the behest of the BJP, Ms. Banerjee asked the police administration to keep a close watch on their activities.
"I have information that in the run-up to the panchayat election, some BSF officials are visiting the border areas, threatening voters and forcing them not to vote. I will ask people not to be scared of their tactics and fearlessly participate in the election," she had said at an election rally in Cooch Behar, a bordering district.
Referring to the alleged shooting of villagers, whom the BSF had claimed were smugglers, Ms. Banerjee said, "Police will lodge FIRs in such cases and the law will take its own course."
"They don't have the right to shoot and kill anyone. No one is above the law, it seems killing people in Cooch Behar district has become a norm," she said.
Ms. Banerjee also asserted that "law and order is a State subject" and the Centre has no role in it.
In a statement on Monday, the BSF Guwahati Frontier, which has jurisdiction over Cooch Behar, "emphatically" denied Ms. Banerjee's charges.
"It is to appraise that the allegations levelled against BSF by the CM West Bengal during a rally at Cooch Behar, is totally baseless and far from the truth," it said.
On Tuesday, as she addressed a rally in Jalpaiguri, Ms. Banerjee announced a compensation of ₹2 lakh and jobs for the kin of those killed allegedly in BSF firing at the border areas.
"I am not accusing all BSF officials, they guard our borders. But the BSF must act impartially as the BJP may not be in power tomorrow; but they have to keep doing their jobs," the TMC chief said.
West Bengal's rural areas will vote in the panchayat elections on July 8.
