Centre conspiring against the state : Mamata

Nandakumar : West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today kept up her tirade against the Centre, accusing it of hatching conspiracy against the state and refusing to co-operate with it on any issue.

“Both the central and the state governments are elected by the people. Why should the central government conspire against a state government? Why should it spread lies against a state? I want an answer to this,” Banerjee said while speaking at a programme here.

The Centre should look after the international border, she said and accused it of opening the gates and letting “outsiders” enter the country. “They (Centre) are conspiring and initiating violence,” she alleged.

“You (Centre) have opened the border and let criminals enter the state. Now you are asking the state to submit the report. Only because we are running the administration the people can live in peace in the state,” she said.

Refuting her charges, the BJP said such complaints were not made by any other bordering state.

State BJP president Dilip Ghosh said the BSF was posted at the borders in various other parts in the country and no state government has made such an allegation.

“The TMC government is yet to give land for the construction of border outposts,” he alleged.

The chief minister said despite the state’s request and court order, the Centre was yet to send CRPF in Darjeeling and alleged that the BJP is behind the “politics of dividing Bengal.”

“Playing divisive politics in West Bengal will not be an easy task. Bengal did not allow any division in the past.”

“The BJP has been using social networking sites like Facebook to spread lies … Facebook has become Fakebook for spreading fakenews,” she said and urged people not to walk into its “trap.”

In an obvious reference to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, she said, “If you have no work, go abroad.”

“A true leader will think of the country and its development.

“Save India from disaster. Save India from these type of people and do not listen to them. Do not fall prey to their ploys,” she said.

People were still suffering from the “ill-effects” of demonetisation, when, she claimed, the GST was imposed on the country.

—PTI