Banerjee alleged that BJP brought in goons armed with bombs in trains from outside the state to foment trouble during its ‘Nabanna Abhijan'.
A day after the crackdown on protesting BJP workers in West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said that police could have opened fire on “violent” saffron party protesters during its march to the state secretariat, but the government exercised “maximum” restraint.
Banerjee also alleged that the saffron party brought in goons armed with bombs in trains from outside the state to foment trouble during its ‘Nabanna Abhijan’ on Tuesday.
"Many police personnel were brutally attacked by the participants of that rally... Police could have opened fire, but our administration showed maximum restraint," she said during an administrative meeting at Nimtouri in Purba Medinipur district.
The CM said the protest march inconvenienced commuters and traders, barely a few weeks ahead of Durga Puja, Bengal's biggest festival.
"We have nothing against democratic and peaceful protests. But, the BJP and its supporters resorted to violence, vandalism and arson. They torched properties and instilled fear among people. We won't allow this. Arrests are being made, and law will take its own course," she said.
Meanwhile, the BJP said the state has become "lawless" and "bankrupt" under Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and accused her of inflicting "police torture" on its members to suppress their voice.
BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad also alleged that Banerjee could be trying to divert attention from the rivalry within her Trinamool Congress (TMC) by using force against BJP members.
The BJP had launched the protest march against the ruling Trinamool Congress' alleged corrupt practices.
The opposition party in West Bengal claimed that over 1,000 of its workers were injured in the use of force by police and and alleged that Banerjee had surpassed the communist parties in inflicting atrocities.
Former Union minister Prasad slammed Banerjee, saying she speaks of saving democracy outside the state while crossing all limits to curb people's democratic and civil rights inside Bengal.
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 "West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee - File Photo")
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