The BJP claimed that no sane politican could level such charges.
Lashing out at West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over her "coup" charge at the army, BJP said making such an allegation is the "lowest of the low" and that she has begun "hallucinating" as demonetization has rendered illegally acquired crores of rupees of her party worthless. "No sane politician and certainly not a constitutional head has ever levelled such serious charges against the Indian Army. A routine exercise is being made into a controversy. Such behaviour of Mamata Banerjee cannot be attributed to her maverick nature.
"The demonetization has certainly unnerved and rattled her. The reason is simple - she lost crores of rupees of unaccounted money earned through various chit fund companies and illegal activities of TMC-patronised syndicates as they became worthless," BJP National Secretary Sidharth Nath Singh said.
It has unnerved her and now she is hallucinating, he said, terming it "unfortunate" that the army had to come up with a proof that they had informed the state administration much ahead of its routine drill.
"BJP condemns outright her accusation that the army was attempting a coup in Bengal. If Mamata Banerjee wishes to be the cheerleader of the anti-demonetization campaign, holding street protests and theatrics we have no issues, but accusing Indian armed forces is highly deplorable and objectionable," Singh, Bengal co-incharge of the party, said in a statement.
"This is the lowest of the low of Mamata for which she must apologise to the army and her MPs to the nation for stalling Parliament," he said.
Referring to her response so far, including calling demonetization a financial emergency, demanding its complete rollback, threatening riots and giving 72-hour deadline to the Modi government, he wondered if she needed medical care. The issue of the army's presence at toll plazas in the state had kicked up a storm with the Chief Minister remaining at the state secretariat overnight in protest, asking was it an "army coup".
TMC MLAs and ministers protest army deployment
As Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee stayed put overnight at the state secretariat over army's presence at toll plazas in West Bengal, her TMC MLAs and ministers staged a dharna outside the Raj Bhavan protesting the "dictatorial tendencies" of the central government.
More than 150 MLAs and ministers marched to the Raj Bhavan from state assembly to submit to Governor K N Tripathi a memorandum against the "ill motives of the central government" and demanding immediate withdrawal of the army personnel.
They sat outside the Raj Bhavan with placards and posters criticising the Narendra Modi government besides raising slogans like 'Modi haaye haaye' and 'Modi should go'.
The group could not, however, meet Governor K N Tripathi as he is in New Delhi.
Alleging that the Centre is trying to topple the state government as TMC has raised its voice against demonetisation, Bengal Parliamentary Affairs Minister Partha Chatterjee said, "Today we came here to protest against the dictatorial tendencies of the central government, which is trying to finish off the federal structure in the country. The state government in Bengal has been democratically-elected and that too with a huge mandate.
"The people of this country will give a befitting reply to the dictatorial tendencies. A conspiracy is being hatched to topple a democratically-elected government. People will give the reply whether they want an army coup or federally- elected government," he said.
TMC, he said, would go to Raj Bhavan again tomorrow to meet the governor and lodge its complaints. "We contacted him (Tripathi) over telephone. He told us that he has read about the incident in newspapers. He has asked us to come tomorrow." After a high drama over "deployment of army" at certain toll plazas in West Bengal without informing the state government, Banerjee stayed put at the state secretariat overnight.
Army on its part strongly rebutted Banerjee's allegations and said the exercise was being carried out in coordination with Kolkata Police.
Asked to comment on the Army's statement, Chatterjee quipped, "There is difference between informing and getting permission."
Earlier in the day, Tripathi told PTI when contacted, "I have read about it newspapers. Army has already given a clarification. I have nothing more to say." Asked to comment on Banerjee's allegation of "army coup", Tripathi said, "It is the chief minister's view. I have nothing more to say."
Today was the first day of winter session of the state assembly and Chatterjee had wanted to raise and discuss the issue in the house. However, Speaker Biman Banerjee stopped him, saying that in order to raise and discuss an issue on the floor of the assembly it has to be first discussed in the Business Advisory committee of the house.
Reports from Jalpaiguri said TMC workers held day-long protest outside the Army camp at Binnaguri too.
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