West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today alleged that there is a conspiracy behind the Rampurhat incident and said that she is ready to protest if the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) will take orders from the BJP. The BJP, which is the only opposition party in the West Bengal assembly, has been cornering the Banerjee-led TMC government over the brutal killings in Bogtui village of Rampurhat in West Bengal’s Birbhum district. At least eight people including children and women were burnt alive in the village.
“I still think there is a conspiracy behind the Rampurhat incident. The CBI took over the charge and it is a good decision….But if they will only follow BJPs directions, we are ready to protest,” said Banerjee.
She said that TMC is being criticised despite taking several steps post the violence. “A Trinamool worker was killed by another party worker. But only TMC is being criticised everywhere. We have taken several steps to investigate the matter and know the original cause of the Rampurhat incident,” she said.
The West Bengal chief minister alleged that many such incidents have taken place in Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Karnataka, Tripura, and Assam. “Our party workers were not allowed to reach the incident site, but in Birbhum, we never stopped any political party,” she said.
The Trinamool Congress also accused the BJP of trying to influence the CBI probe. The BJP, on the other hand, alleged that the TMC has lost all credibility after March 22. TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh alleged that the BJP has forgotten the killings in Gujarat years back.
“Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee visited the area within two days of the incident and met the victims’ families. We are okay with a fair, impartial and prompt CBI probe. However, in the last one-two days, there are indications that the BJP is trying to influence the central agency’s investigation for its own political interest. We oppose any such move,” he said.
BJP state spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya alleged that the ruling party in the state has ‘lost all credibility and acceptability’ after the Bogtui incident.