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'They sprayed bullets': Mamata Banerjee terms Cooch Behar killing 'genocide'
PM Modi also expressed his sadness over the incident. He urged the EC to strongly deal with those responsible for the incident.
Terming the killing of five persons in two separate incidents in West Bengal's Cooch Behar district during the fourth phase of assembly elections as 'genocide', state chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday called Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah 'incompetent'. "It is a genocide. They sprayed bullets. They could have shot on the leg or the lower body but every bullet hit them in the neck or chest area," Banerjee said in Siliguri.
"It's incompetent government with incompetent Prime Minister and Home Minister. They are coming here daily to capture Bengal. You are welcome, nobody has stopped you but make people happy rather than threatening them. You get people killed by central forces and later issue them a clean chit," she added.
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo said that she will hold a protest rally in Cooch Behar on Sunday against the firing incident and visit the homes of the deceased.
"I am a Royal Bengal Tiger. They didn't let me go (to Cooch Behar). I talked to them (families of deceased in firing incident) over video call sitting in Siliguri," Banerjee said in Jalpaiguri.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Saturday gave directions that no political leader from any party should be allowed to enter the geographical boundaries of Cooch Behar district for the next 72 hours where five persons were killed in poll violence. "In Cooch Behar district comprising of 9 ACs where voting shall be over by today, no political leader from any national, state or other party should be allowed to enter the geographical boundaries of the district for the next 72 hours. This comes into force with immediate effect," the poll body said in its order.
PM Modi also expressed his sadness over the incident. He urged the EC to strongly deal with those responsible for the incident.
The next phase of the elections will take place on April 17. Counting of votes will take place on May 2.
