The explanations given by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her government on the alleged police firing in Birbhum district have only raised more questions about the incident, Leader of the Opposition and CPI(M) leader Surya Kanta Mishra said here on Wednesday.
It was alleged that the police fired on villagers resisting land acquisition for an opencast mine at Loba village in the Dubrajpur area of Birbhum district on Tuesday.
Left Front Committee chairman Biman Bose pointed out that there were contradictions in the statements made by Trinamool Congress leader and Birbhum MP Satabdi Roy and Home Secretary Basudeb Banerjee after the incident.
“The only way that the controversy over whether or not the police fired on the villagers [as has been alleged by them] can be resolved is to determine whether or not bullets have been fired from a service revolver,” Mr. Bose said.
Ms. Roy had said that the police had fired into the crowds. But Mr. Banerjee said there was no police firing. After his comments, Ms. Roy changed her statement, Mr. Bose said.
During the day, the Chief Minister told journalists that an inquiry had been ordered into the incident, but from the information available so far, there had been no police firing.
“Many questions have emerged from her remarks. If there was no firing, what was the reason to describe the incident as ‘unfortunate’ or express anguish over it? If there was no trouble, why did the firings occur? Why has the Superintendent of Police been removed? Under whose orders were so many policemen sent there?,” Dr. Mishra asked.
