Chase away Central forces: Trinamool leader

A leader of West Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress has asked women party workers to "chase away" the Central police forces with brooms if they do excesses, prompting the Bharatiya Janata Party to approach the Election Commission.

Speaking at a closed-door party meeting in Nadia district, Ratna Ghosh (Kar), a minister in Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's cabinet, said there was "nothing called justice or injustice" or "democracy" if one was to win a war.

"All of you should keep in mind that in order to win a war, there is nothing called justice or injustice, and there is nothing called democracy. To win a war, use whatever means you can. Everything is justified," said the lawmaker from Cakdah in Nadia district.

"I have seen you all getting beaten up by Central forces. if they commit excesses, we will ask our female volunteers and leaders and workers to beat them with broom sticks and force them to retreat," she said.

State BJP vice president Jay Prakash Majumdar said the Chief Electoral Officer's office here had sought a report from the Nadia district electoral officer.

"Central forces are coming to conduct a peaceful election and the Trinamool leaders are using such words. Leaders like Ratna and others have simply no way out. We had a word with the CEO and they have asked for a report from the DEO," Jay Parkash Majumdar told reporters here.

On Ghosh's remarks, BJP President Amit Shah tweeted, "Finally, Mamata didi's trusted lieutenant accepts that her party believes in the idea of violence and anarchy".

Shah also mentioned that he wants to "remind Mamata Didi that such destruction of democracy won't last long. People of Bengal will vote out TMC. Her time is up".

--IANS

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