Incompetence of PM Modi, Amit Shah leading to rising Covid-19 cases: Mamata

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday blamed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah for the rising COVID-19 cases in the country.

Speaking at a public rally in Barasat, Mamata said: "When COVID-19 happened, where were they? They were not seen for over a year. PM Modi and Home Minister were hiding in their homes. Because of your negligence, COVID-19 cases are rising in the country. The cases have risen due to your incompetence."

"I have been asking for injections for three months. I wrote the letter in February. Why have you not given me? I want to give COVID injections for free to all. But we are not getting it. Whatever I have received, I will start distributing it from tomorrow," she added.

India has been witnessing a significant spike in COVID-19 cases, with more than 1.6 lakh coronavirus reported on Monday.

Further lashing out at the Prime Minister for making public speeches on the polling day, the Chief Minister said that he is misleading and cheating the public.

Speaking on the deaths of five people in Sitalkuchi during the phase IV polls, the TMC chief said: "I say BJP got their own man murdered, they had to prove it, they did not. That is because Girindra Nath Barman, our candidate in Mathabhanga was attacked. Rajbongshis were outraged over this. You took the life of a Rajbongshi man and now are talking big."

She also announced that she will meet the families of the deceased in Sitalkuchi on Wednesday.

Earlier in the day, Mamata, who arrived at the Mayo road venue in the morning and began her sit-in next to a Mahatma Gandhi statue in Kolkata, turned to paints and canvases and produced at least two paintings while sitting on her wheelchair as she protested.

The Election Commission had on Monday banned Mamata from campaigning in the ongoing state elections for 24 hours and said she had made "highly insinuating and provocative remarks laden with the serious potential of the breakdown of law and order and thereby affecting the election process".

The fifth phase of the eight-phased assembly elections will take place on Saturday.