West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday stirred fresh political controversy by alleging that a commandant stationed at Fort William was, the Indian Army’s Eastern Command headquarters, working simultaneously for the Special Investigation Report (SIR) exercise and the BJP. The allegation was made during a press conference at Nabanna, the state secretariat, where the Chief Minister launched a sharp attack on central agencies and the ruling party at the Centre.
“I have information that a commandant sitting in Fort William is working for SIR and also for the BJP,” Mamata said, issuing a direct warning. “Please don’t do this,” she added, alleging that sections of the Army and central agencies were being misused for political purposes.
The Chief Minister raised pointed questions over border security and the functioning of central forces, asking, “From coal to hawala—who controls the border? Who controls Customs? Who controls the CISF? Who is coming in on planes from outside? The Centre oversees everything. The Army is also under your control.” She alleged that instead of acting against actual criminals, central agencies were being selectively used. “Catch those who are the real thieves and robbers,” she said.
Mamata also took a swipe at the presence of a Bharatiya Jamaya Party leader from Madhya Pradesh in West Bengal, stating that outsiders were welcome to live peacefully in the state and would even be offered sweets, but harassment of Bengalis would not be tolerated. Referring to alleged attacks on Bengalis in BJP-ruled states, she asked, “You will beat them there, and then come here and remove the names of Bengalis from the voter list?”
Expressing concern over internal security, the Chief Minister said she had instructed BLAs and local police officials to closely monitor sensitive zones. “It is my responsibility to see if anyone is bringing in weapons or bombs in sacks. I must maintain peace in my state,” she said.
On the issue of voter list revision, Mamata alleged that government certificates in Bengal were being cancelled one after another. “On whose orders?” she questioned, adding that similar actions were not seen in states like Bihar. Drawing an analogy from the Mahabharata, she remarked, “Bengal will not be conquered by following the path of Duryodhana and Dushasana. If you have the power, fight fairly.”
Sending a strong message on illegal documentation, the Chief Minister directed that FIRs must be filed wherever unauthorised papers are found in bulk. She also appealed to citizens and the media to inform the police if they come across such cases.
The overall message from the Nabanna was unequivocal: the state government would not compromise on Bengal’s peace and interests, and would firmly resist what the Chief Minister described as undue central pressure.
Also read: Confronting raiding ED team is bad optics for Mamata
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