Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee stopped short of directly attacking the Election Commission.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today stopped short of directly attacking the Election Commission that has transferred almost 40 administrative officers on the eve of the Assembly polls in West Bengal.
Without naming the poll panel, Ms Banerjee said, "If in Bengal polls, Bengal police are not be used, Delhi police are, then what will you do in Delhi polls? Give American police? Or London police?"
"I am issuing a challenge," Ms Banerjee said at a public rally in north Bengal's Rajganj. "If Bengal police can't be used for Bengal elections, then in future, Delhi elections cannot be held with Delhi police. I want to see what novel strategy the Election Commission will then adopt," she added.
By "Delhi police" and "Delhi polls", Ms Banerjee appeared to mean central forces and general elections.
Among officials transferred with immediate effect are police chiefs of four districts: Malda, Nadia, Burdwan and South Dinajpur. On the panel's orders, chief election officers of five states flew into Bengal today to examine poll arrangements across the state.
"The way Delhi is behaving, it is as if there is an emergency here. More than emergency," Ms Banerjee said. "Every day they are saying, Bengal police will not work in Bengal. Then what? Will America send police? Ask the comrades. Comrades, will America send police? Let BJP, Congress, CPM try," she added.
The opposition has hit back. "Hillary Clinton came to see you when you defeated her," Mohammed Salim, CPM MP said. "Now you are talking about America's police because the Election Commission, a constitutional body, is cracking down. They will not let outsiders and goondas inside the polling booths."
The opposition also says Ms Banerjee is under pressure after a sting operation showed 11 of her top party leaders allegedly accepting cash.
Without naming the poll panel, Ms Banerjee said, "If in Bengal polls, Bengal police are not be used, Delhi police are, then what will you do in Delhi polls? Give American police? Or London police?"
"I am issuing a challenge," Ms Banerjee said at a public rally in north Bengal's Rajganj. "If Bengal police can't be used for Bengal elections, then in future, Delhi elections cannot be held with Delhi police. I want to see what novel strategy the Election Commission will then adopt," she added.
By "Delhi police" and "Delhi polls", Ms Banerjee appeared to mean central forces and general elections.
Among officials transferred with immediate effect are police chiefs of four districts: Malda, Nadia, Burdwan and South Dinajpur. On the panel's orders, chief election officers of five states flew into Bengal today to examine poll arrangements across the state.
"The way Delhi is behaving, it is as if there is an emergency here. More than emergency," Ms Banerjee said. "Every day they are saying, Bengal police will not work in Bengal. Then what? Will America send police? Ask the comrades. Comrades, will America send police? Let BJP, Congress, CPM try," she added.
The opposition has hit back. "Hillary Clinton came to see you when you defeated her," Mohammed Salim, CPM MP said. "Now you are talking about America's police because the Election Commission, a constitutional body, is cracking down. They will not let outsiders and goondas inside the polling booths."
The opposition also says Ms Banerjee is under pressure after a sting operation showed 11 of her top party leaders allegedly accepting cash.
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