"Won't Bow Down": On Wheelchair, Mamata Banerjee Holds Rally In Kolkata

Leg in a cast and sitting on a wheelchair, Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today declared that nothing will keep her from protecting the democratic rights of the people. The 66-year-old, whose leg was injured in Nandigram on Wednesday, made the point with a rally in the heart of Kolkata, rolling in her wheel chair along with hundreds of party workers and supporters, who tweaked the party's "khela hobe (Game on)" slogan to "Bhanga paye khela hobe" (Game on, broken leg and all).

"I am hurt and unwell, but my goal remains (remaining steadfast to her cause and people of Bengal). My body is full of bruises. But my pain is not greater than the suffering of people as democracy is being trampled through dictatorship," she said. "I will continue to roam around Bengal on this wheelchair. If I go on bed rest, who will reach out to the people of Bengal?" the Chief Minister added.

"I have faced a lot of attacks in my life but I have never surrendered before anyone. I will never bow my head. An injured tiger gets more dangerous," she added.

Appealing for peace, she said, "May the unholy powers be destroyed and the good prevail".

Ms Banerjee sustained injuries on her leg during a visit to Nandigram on Wednesday, where she had gone to file her nomination papers.

Initially she said she was pushed by four or five people against her car and had the door shut on her at a time there was no police personnel around. But later, she said "I was greeting people from the car bonnet and a huge pressure came....and the car crushed my foot".

Her party however, had written to the Election Commission, alleging that an attempt was made on her life "within 24 hours of the removal of the Bengal police chief" by the Election Commission without any consultation with the state government.

Today, the Commission – which had ordered an investigation into the matter – said there is no evidence that the Chief Minister came under attack. Calling it an accident, the Commission said the Chief Minister's security protocol was flouted after reviewing the reports
sent by its two special poll observers and the state government.

Mamata Banerjee, who has Z-Plus security, has to travel in a bullet-proof car, but she was not doing so, the poll panel said. Instead, the security in-charge was sitting in the bullet-proof car, said the Commission, adding that action to be taken against the security in-charge Vivek Sahay.