‘Observers from outside, CRPF targeting TMC workers’: Mamata levels ‘terrorism’ charge amid Bengal Phase 2 polling

“So many observers have come from outside. Whatever the BJP says, they are doing. Just look around, all our posters have been removed. Is this how polls take place? Votes will be cast by voters, not by the police or security forces. Some new people have recently been brought in, and they are doing whatever they want. They are doing terrorism,” the Chief Minister told reporters.

The Election Commission has set up 41,001 polling stations for smooth conduct during Phase 2. There are 1,448 candidates in the fray for 142 seats in south Bengal.

Mamata claims poll observers, CRPF ‘targeting’ TMC

“Some observers have been brought in from different places, along with police officers who do not understand Bengal. There was one officer yesterday who caused trouble across Bengal. I was awake all night. Observers are going to police stations to create pressure and target TMC, saying that all TMC agents should be arrested. My youth block president was arrested in the morning,” Banerjee told reporters.

The Chief Minister said she had gone to the Chetla area to address the matter while another party member went to the police station. She also alleged that CRPF personnel had entered a TMC councillor’s residence late at night without local police and assaulted family members — referring to the officials as ‘goons’.

“Last night, around 2 am, a CRPF team went to my Ward 70 councillor’s house without the local police and attacked his house. His wife was alone with their children. When he said he wasn’t home, the CRPF assaulted them (kicked them), snatched their phone, and warned that he should not do any party work. I can show you the proof,” she further alleged.

Violent clashes break out in Bengal

Clashes broke out in several parts of the city as voting commenced on Wednesday morning. CRPF personnel detained two people after an EVM glitch delayed voting and sparked a clash in Bally.

“There was some chaos and we were told that the machine was malfunctioning. A new machine was brought here and that, too, faced glitches… Then they closed the gates. There was some problem inside. When I came here, I heard a lot of shouting inside. Then they closed the doors so that the public could not see what was happening…After half an hour we saw someone, who wanted to create chaos here, was beaten up and carried away. So, voting finally began at 8.30 am,” a voter told ANI.

Details shared by The Indian Express indicate that fresh a altercation also broke out between central forces and TMC supporters in Kolkata after central forces stopped a motorbike near a booth in the Rajarhat-Newtown constituency.

A separate update shared by the publication noted that a scuffle had broke out between ISF and TMC workers at a polling booth in Khanakhol. The ISF alleged that a fake agent had been spotted at the site. Police and central forces have brought the situation under control.

According to an ANI update, a group of miscreants attacked a BJP polling agent at around 5:30 am today. Mosharraf Mir of booth number 52 of Hatra Panchayat in the Chapra Assembly constituency of Nadia was reportedly attacked with iron rod and guns. He was later rescued by the police and admitted to Chapra Rural Hospital. He is undergoing treatment there, and he has received six stitches on his head.

“Chhapra is a minority-dominated area where ‘gundagardi’ happens with help from TMC, which doesn’t want any BJP booth agents present in the constituency. We are demanding strict action in this incident,” alleged BJP MP Jagannath Sarkar.