Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee tonight hardened her stand against the Centre alleging deployment of Army at certain toll plazas in West Bengal without informing the state government and refused to leave her office till the forces were not withdrawn from the toll plaza near the state secretariat.
"Why are they (Army) standing here? The police commissioner asked them to move out but they are still standing here. I am observing the whole situation. I am the custodian of my people and cannot move out of the Secretariat when the Army is standing here," she told reporters.
"The Army has been deployed without informing the state government. This is unprecedented and a very serious matter," she claimed.
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Earlier, a defence spokesperson said there was "nothing to be alarmed" about the bi-annual exercise which the Army conducts across the country to get statistical data about load carriers that could be made available to it in case of a contingency.
Banerjee, however, said, "Their motive is political, unconstitutional, vindictive, unethical, undemocratic. I have decided that unless the Army is removed from in front of the Secretariat, I will not move out. I will stay here tonight. Is there a military coup going in the country?"
The Chief Minister said she has checked with other states but nothing such has happened in Maharashtra, Kerala, Odisha and Chhatisgarh.
"Why is that happening here? I fear that they can shoot. Either I will live or die but I will speak for the common people," Banerjee said.
"I do not have any problem if the Centre behaves like the central government. But they are repeatedly doing mistakes and now they are doing a blunder. It is an attack on the federal structure. We want to know the details," she said.
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