Trinamul MP and party youth president Abhishek Banerjee on Monday termed the Sitalkuchi firing as a “pre-planned” move to scare Bengal voters.

Abhishek, speaking in two public meetings in Odlabari and Maynaguri of Jalpaiguri district, underscored remarks by two BJP leaders, Sayantan Basu and Dilip Ghosh.

“...(Earlier) Sayantan Basu had said in his speech that he asked the CRPF to aim at the chest and shoot if there is any problem, and again, after the unfortunate incident which we had never heard of in our state, Dilip Ghosh remarked there will be more Sitalkuchi incidents. These remarks indicate it was a pre-planned move,” he said.

To drive home his point, Abhishek even played recordings of the parts of remarks by both these BJP leaders.

He also reminded BJP state president Ghosh to a three-and-a half-year-old incident in the hills. “Sitalkuchi won’t happen everywhere…From now, Darjeeling will happen everywhere,” said Abhishek, referring to October 2017, when Ghosh and some other BJP leaders had been heckled badly in Darjeeling.

Abhishek also termed the BJP leaders as “jumlabaaz” (those making fake promises) and contrasted them with initiatives taken by the Mamata government for people.

“You have to decide if you want people who make hollow promises and never deliver or you need ‘Banglar Nijer Meye’ (Bengal’s own girl) who has met her promises and has vowed to do more for you,” he said. “While the (LPG) gas that Modi gives costs around Rs 1,000, the rice that you cook in it comes for free from Didi. This is the difference.”