‘Governor speaking in voice of Centre’: Mamata on Army deployment row

Banerjee, yesterday, chose to stay at the state secretariat “Nabanna” for the night, even after the force was removed from a toll plaza near it as per her demand.

The Central Government expressed shock over attempts to politicise the Army’s “routine exercise” in West Bengal and said it was “coordinated by State Police”. Trinamool Congress MP in the Rajya Sabha Derek O’Brien questioned whether the Army deployment was a plan (by the Centre) to start an “internal war”. Bengal CM kept watch from Secretariat overnight. The Army has said that it is conducting a routine exercise to “gather statistical data about load carriers that could be made available to the Army in case of a contingency”.

However, she is finding herself in a soup as the army personnel and the state police have furnished documents and proofs.

Past 2 a.m., Banerjee – holding her third media conference since evening – stuck to her decision to spend the night there, arguing that the army may return. They will definitely come back.

They were referring to the unusual surge in deposits seen recently in some districts in northern West Bengal. There is no law and order issue in WB for Army to be deployed?

“I’ll remain awake all night to keep vigil”.

Reacting to the Chief Minister’s allegations he said, “We deny all charges with all contempt”.

The party had staged a protest outside the state secretariat, saying the exercise was not in coordination with the state police as claimed by the Army. Talking to newspersons outside Parliament, the information and broadcasting minister said: “This is nothing but a cheap political stunt to defame the government and dragging the Army into an unnecessary controversy where none exists. Has Emergency been declared?” she asserted.

Trinamool congress and their ally political parties cries foul for the presence of Army personnel at toll plazas “in various parts” of West Bengal in both Houses of Parliament. She advised Mr Tripathi to check facts in the second message.

“The National Highway Authority of India has all this data”. The governor has said the right thing.

“Why is it been done in Bengal?”

“BJP condemns outright her accusation that the army was attempting a coup in Bengal”. The fury which she raised in the parliament and cheap drama of locking herself at the state secretariat “Nabanna” is proving as senseless and baseless. Speculation of army taking over toll plaza incorrect. “It is under our secretariat”.

The army also claimed that its men had conducted a recce of the proposed locations for the exercise jointly with police officers on 29 November.

“Every person should take care in making allegation against a responsible organisation like army”.

“We have highest degree of respect for the Indian army but if central government tries to break the federal structure of a state by using army as a shield, we have to protest against that”, Chatterjee said. “This is unprecedented and a very serious matter”, Banerjee said. “It was later changed December 1 and 2, as we were informed that there was a bandh on the proposed days”, Parrikar said. “It is done in different states with the consent of officials”, Parrikar said.

The minister said it was earlier decided that the exercises would take place between November 28-30. “No permission has been withdrawn so far”, the spokesman added. It was a routine exercise.