Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday slammed the Opposition in Bengal for alleged attempts at politicisation of Anis Khan’s suspected murder, underscoring how “tough” her government was and mentioning the actions already taken, before warning against “disruptive, obstructive” agitation.
The chief minister was at a state government event being televised live on Wednesday afternoon when she broached the subject of the Amta incident and made her stand clear.
“We will never do anything inhumane with the people. It must be remembered that any insufferable act of misrule will also not be tolerated…. You saw, the Amta investigation has just started, we don’t know yet what the incident really was. The second time the SIT went, for an autopsy, they were not allowed but were obstructed. Despite that, there was a complaint, on the basis of which two from the police were arrested,” said the chief minister at Nabanna.
“...I do not want to interfere in any impartial investigation. But because there is a complaint against police, so that they cannot influence the investigation, those two have been taken into police custody,” added Mamata.
“The government is very tough. Wherever I see injustice, or wherever there is a complaint, if it is genuine, we will act.”
On Tuesday, a rally by students of the Aliah University brought traffic across vast swathes of central and north Calcutta to a grinding halt for hours in the afternoon, inconveniencing thousands.
Mamata did not take it kindly. “Those politicising it, they should understand that obstruction is a criminal offence. I grew up through movements, nobody should try to teach me about movements. For political reasons, some are overdoing it… yesterday, in Calcutta, people felt greatly disturbed… missed flights, for a handful of people,” said the Trinamul Congress chief.
“We want impartial investigation for correct justice, for which we have taken such stern steps. Those who have been making lofty statements, I would like to see what action they took…. We act without prejudice or favour,” she added, obliquely referring to the BJP and the CPM.
Even on Wednesday, Left-backed student outfits conducted agitation programmes at various places in and around the city.
“Certainly, you do have the right to agitation, but do it at one place, by the side of the road. What good comes of blocking a road? It is blocking the people… office-goers, school-goers, people going home, going to hospitals, going for work. This culture will no longer be tolerated by Bengal, enough,” she added.
“For three decades, people saw this culture, got habituated. Do not mind, but sections of the media are also responsible for this, as they encourage lawlessness and for better ratings, do not hesitate even to foment communal tension. Let the police do their work, let the law do its work, let the people do their work…. Let good sense prevail.”
Mamata made it clear that her only concern was catering for the interests of the people, and not of the CPM or the BJP. She warned the Opposition against taking her for weak.
“Please do not consider us so weak. When there has been wrongdoing, nobody was spared,” she said.
Mamata also questioned the CBI’s credibility — a probe by the central agency has been Anis Khan’s family’s firm demand.
She has said her government has zero tolerance for wrongdoing, but suggested that one must not lose the sense of proportion in reacting to incidents.
“If somebody has done something wrong, it is wrong. If out of one lakh people, 10 commit a wrong, those 10 will be punished. But to think that all of the one lakh are bad is not right,” she said.
