Didi v/s Army: Mamata dubs Bengal governor ‘voice of Centre’ for criticism

She accused Centre Government on Friday saying that the government is using Army against our government, which provoked Union minister Ananth Kumar requested to TMC Lok Sabha leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay saying that leaves the Army out of the politics. Uttar Paradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav also backed Mamata. They have also refuted Mamata’s allegation that the state government was not informed about the same.

Terming the Army’s deployment in the Hooghly toll plaza as a routine exercise, Parrikar said, “It is army’s routine exercise being carried out since many years”.

“The exercise involves collection of data in all North Eastern states including Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, West Bengal, Manipur, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Tripura, Mizoram, Sikkim”. Bengal was taken into confidence, it happened last year and last to last year.

She wondered, “How will the farmers survive as there is a gap of Rs 1,200 crore in terms of disbursement of loan through co-operative banks compared to the corresponding period a year ago”. She said, “They are normally deployed during disasters”.

Her remarks had drawn stinging condemnation from the Centre which said the remark showed her “political frustration”.

However, the Eastern Command of Indian Army on Friday denied all allegations, made by Trinamool supremo and stated that it was only an annual exercise of army, nothing else.

The issue was raised in both Houses of Parliament with main Opposition Congress too seeking clarification on the Army deployment at 19 toll plazas in West Bengal.

However, she is finding herself in a soup as the army personnel and the state police have furnished documents and proofs. The TMC leader said Mamata has been staging a “dharna” in the Secretariat demanding withdrawal of the Army.

Earlier, the army withdrew deployment from Palhit toll plaza and other areas after the completion of a 72-hour exercise.

She said she had great respect for the Army, but was “sad” in the manner in which they were being used for “political vendetta”.

“But I came to know that the army has once again started its exercise in two to three spots”. The Chief Minister rushed back to her office on Thursday night to “protect democracy” after receiving reports of army personnel standing at several toll booths in her state. The issue was raised during Zero Hour in the morning session. The personnel, however, left the toll plaza near secretariat at night. She had also faulted the governor for calling officials, including police officers, to the Raj Bhavan even “when law and order is the state’s prerogative”.