BSF trying to scare voters in Bengal’s bordering areas: Mamata Banerjee

Cooch Behar (WB), Jun 26 (PTI) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday accused the BSF of scaring voters in the bordering areas of the state at the “behest of the saffron camp” and asked police to keep a close watch on their activities.

Addressing a panchayat election rally in the bordering district, Banerjee said, “Law and order is a state subject” and the Centre has no role in it.

“I have information that some BSF officials are visiting the border areas, threatening voters and asking them not to vote. I will ask people not to be scared and fearlessly participate in the elections,” she said.

While referring to the alleged shooting of villagers by the BSF last year, whom the force claimed as smugglers, Banerjee said, “Police will lodge FIRs in such cases and the law will take its own course.”

Asserting that the TMC will defeat the BJP in the July 8 rural polls, Banerjee said, “We will then defeat the BJP at the Centre and bring a development-oriented government in the country.”

Banerjee said the party had stressed on putting up candidates with a clean record in the elections.

“We will look after the panchayats and ensure that there is no corruption at the ground level,” she said.