Campaigning for the July 8 panchayat polls for the first time, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday accused the Border Security Force (BSF) of scaring voters in the bordering areas of the state and asked police to keep a close watch on them.
Addressing a panchayat election rally in the bordering district, Banerjee said, “I have information that some BSF officials are visiting the border areas, threatening voters and asking them not to vote. I will ask people not to be scared and fearlessly participate in the elections.”
Also Read: West Bengal panchayat polls: Central forces start arriving as violence continues to rage
“If the BSF scares you, inform police. Police will lodge FIRs and the law will take its own course,” she said, referring to the central force’s shooting last year of people who it said were smugglers, PTI reported.
“Law and order is a state subject and the Centre has no role in it,” the Bengal CM said.
In Cooch Behar, she said that after the elections, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) would not allow corruption at the grassroots level. She also targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi and talked about the national Opposition alliance, The Indian Express reported.
Also Read: West Bengal Panchayat Elections 2023: Date, schedule, results – All you need to know
Asserting that the TMC will defeat the BJP in the rural polls, Banerjee said, “We will then defeat the BJP at the Centre and bring a development-oriented government in the country.” Banerjee said the party had stressed on putting up candidates with a clean record in the elections. “We will look after the panchayats and ensure that there is no corruption at the ground level,” she said.