The Chief Minister of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee, has earned the reputation of a Modi-hater and she seems to have made it a tradition to oppose every decision taken by PM Modi and his government. At one fell swoop, it won’t be wrong to say that after demonetization, she has become even more aggressive.
However, this time, she has done something which doesn’t suit a person who holds such a high position; in fact, this may compel even her strongest supporters to disagree with her.
Mamata has raised fingers on the Indian Army and tried to give an impression that her government can be in danger from the Indian Army. She has made a series of tweets on December 1, claiming that the Army is showing undemocratic conduct while she is protecting democracy.
Very unfortunate. Army stationed in front of Nabanno, the Bengal State Secretariat in a high security zone, inspite of Police objection 1/2
— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) December 1, 2016
… I am waiting here at the Secretariat and watching, to guard our democracy 2/2
— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) December 1, 2016
Until and unless the Army stationed in front of Nabanno, the Bengal state govt secretariat, is withdrawn 1/2
— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) December 1, 2016
… I will be staying at my Secretariat to guard our democracy 2/2
— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) December 1, 2016
More army deployment in diff Bengal districts Jalpaiguri,Alipurduar, Darjeeling,Barrackpur, N24Pgs, Howrah,Hooghly,Kol,Murshidabad Burdwan
— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) December 1, 2016
In fact, she has been quoted saying, “This is a military coup”. This is a very serious allegation against a force which has always respected the Constitution of the country and never tried to break the democratic thread of the nation.
Derek O’Brien, the Rajya Sabha MP of TMC, also made a tweet asking the centre to clarify whether the presence of Army in the state is its plan to begin an “internal war”.
. @MamataOfficial asks Centre: besides Financial Emergency has C also imposed General Emergncy. Army at toll plazas without State knowing1/2
— Derek O'Brien | ডেরেক ও'ব্রায়েন (@derekobrienmp) December 1, 2016
However, the Army’s presence is a result of its annual vehicle data collection exercise which is being carried out in the nine states that come under the Eastern Command. Army personnel were checking the vehicles at the toll plaza in West Bengal and in other states.
The Eastern Command also took to Twitter to clear the situation:
Routine exercise in all NE states. In Assam @ 18 places, Arunanchal@13, WB@19, Manipur@6, Nagaland@5, Meghalaya@5, Tripura & Mizoram@1@adgpi
— EasternCommand_IA (@easterncomd) December 1, 2016
Army conducting routine exercise with full knowledge & coord with WB Police. Speculation of army taking over toll plaza incorrect @adgpi
— EasternCommand_IA (@easterncomd) December 1, 2016
However, West Bengal is not a part of North-East but Eastern Command’s headquarter is in Kolkata and West Bengal also comes under the nine states which come under Eastern Command.
The Indian Army also claimed that the govt. of West Bengal was informed about the whole exercise and they also furnished the proof in the form of letters which made it clear that the police of Kolkata and DM had complete information of this exercise and the soldiers at the toll plaza were without arms.
The Army also said that the same exercises are conducted in other states as well, under the commands which are responsible for it. On Saturday, letters were released by the Indian Army which proved that the allegations made by West Bengal CM, her ministers and her supporters are completely baseless.
Army's letters (written earlier) in connection with the force deployment in West Bengal. pic.twitter.com/YUm4BiOI5k
— ANI (@ANI) December 2, 2016
An important point that should be kept in mind is that fake currency is smuggled in the states which share a border with Bangladesh. The exercise conducted by the Army was just a routine one but it is difficult to understand why the CM of West Bengal and her govt. is so much against it, as the state is already falling in the grip of fundamentalists and criminals. In fact, these criminals are growing opium in places, like in Malda, without any fear as if law doesn’t exist.
This is not the first time when Mamata Banerjee has put serious allegations against the Indian Army; earlier also she has accused the Border Security Force for Kaliachak riots, in which a police station and some vehicles were burnt by a crowd of Islamic radicals.
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