Mamata Banerjee Provoked Bengal Poll Violence, Says Amit Shah

The BJP leader's comments came after Mamata Banerjee demanded his resignation over the incident and labelled the killing of four people in central force firing at Cooch Behar "a genocide".

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's appeal to the people to target security forces provoked the clash in Cooch Behar district during voting on Saturday, Home Minister Amit Shah said on Sunday, rebuffing the Trinamool chief's accusations that he was responsible for the violence. "Mamata Banerjee's advice to gherao central forces instigated people to attack the CISF (Central Industrial Security Force) in Sitalkuchi. Even now, attempts are being made to politicise the killings," Mr Shah said during a rally in Santipur, around 600 km away. "My humble request to the people of Bengal is to celebrate the festival of democracy peacefully in the rest of the voting phases. Vote, and make your favourite candidate win. Work to create a new history of peaceful elections in Bengal," he said. "I promise the people of Bengal that after May 2, when the BJP government will be formed in Bengal under the leadership of Modi ji, this electoral violence, political violence will leave Bengal forever," Mr Shah said.