Kolkata: Describing the recent communal conflagration in Delhi as "state-sponsored planned genocide", Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee claimed an attempt was being made by the BJP to replicate the "Gujarat model of riots" across the country. Addressing the event launch of "Banglar Gorbo Mamata" at Netaji Indoor Stadium on Monday, she said: "Delhis violence was not a communal riot but a state-sponsored planned genocide that was later portrayed as a riot. Delhi Police is under the Central government and forces like the CRPF, CISF, Army and SSB are at their disposal. Then why after the Sikh riots in Gujarat, such a major riot took place in Delhi? The BJP didnt even seek an apology." Banerjee condemned the violence in Delhi and said she is deeply pained by the killing of so many innocent lives being killed. She instructed her party MP Derek OBrien to constitute a fund so that some sort of contribution could be handed over to the victims of the recent Delhi violence. "There are people who have lost their near and dear ones and have been rendered helpless because of the Delhi violence. We will extend whatever assistance is possible from our end. Many people have fled their homes in fear. We are ready to shelter them in Bengal as we always welcome people in distress with open arms," Banerjee maintained. She even questioned the police probe in the Delhi violence led by the then Commissioner of Police and claimed that there should be a judicial enquiry into the matter. "The police stood as mere spectators so I am calling it a state-sponsored genocide," she added. Banerjee further added that time has come for the nation to be vocal in protest against the autocratic BJP government at the Centre as they are bent upon pushing the country into disaster by engineering riots. "They have replicated the Gujarat model of riots in Uttar Pradesh. We take a pledge to throw out the autocratic BJP government and we will fight till the end," she added. "In Delhi, BJP leaders who gave provocative slogans have not been arrested, but I got three of the BJP workers arrested (on charges of raising Desh ke gaddaron ko... slogans in Kolkata) on Sunday night," she said. Banerjee maintained: "The slogan is incendiary, provocative and illegal. We will take legal action against those who had raised such slogans. Its Kolkata, not Delhi. Its Bengal. If we spare a single person, others would be encouraged to act in a similar manner." The Kolkata Police have arrested three BJP workers, identified as Surendra Kumar Tewary, Dhruba Basu and Pankaj Prasad. One Indrajit Kumar Mal lodged a complaint regarding the same with New Market police station on Sunday evening after which a case was initiated on charges of Sections 153A IPC (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc. and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony), 505 IPC (statements conducing to public mischief), 506 IPC (Punishment for criminal intimidation) and 34 IPC (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention). CCTV footages were scrutinised and the trio was identified. Later on Monday, they were produced at the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) Court, Calcutta, with a prayer for police remand. 71-year-old Basu was granted bail by the Magistrate considering his age and ailments while Prasad and Tewary were remanded to police custody for three days. Later, Commissioner of Kolkata Police Anuj Sharma informed that raids are on to arrest the remaining accused persons. The TMC supremo also announced an hour-long hate rally in all the blocks of the state on Wednesday in protest against the Delhi violence. Holding the Union Home minister responsible for the bloodbath, she hit out at him (without taking name). "Gujju bhai, are we not from the soil? Will you drive us out in the name of NRC?" Banerjee asked.

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