Mathabhanga: Condemning attacks on Trinamool Congress (TMC) candidates and common people since the morning of the third phase of the Assembly elections, TMC chairperson Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday lambasted the BJP for "unleashing terror" using the Central forces after realising their loss. Addressing a rally here, the TMC chief also asserted that she would not get bogged down by such "intimidatory tactics". Taking a swipe on Prime Minister Narendra Modi for using the Central forces for political purposes, Banerjee said she had "never seen the Central forces being used to create riots, loot votes and torture women when the country was led by Manmohan Singh, Inder Kumar Gujral, HD Deve Gowda, Rajiv Gandhi and Vishwanath Pratap Singh". "I was a seven-time MP. I still salute the Central force jawans. But Narendra Modi is not doing the right thing by using a section of them as his cadres," Banerjee remarked. On Tuesday, polls were held in 31 Assembly constituencies in Howrah, Hooghly and South 24-Parganas. By noon, TMC lodged more than 100 complaints alleging atrocities by "the Central forces" in which the "mothers and sisters and even at least three TMC candidates including Scheduled Caste candidate from Arambagh Sujata Mondal Khan and her security guards were beaten up". Trinamool Congress candidates, including Saokat Molla and Manas Majumdar, were also restricted from entering polling booths. "Their (BJPs) national president J P Nadda cancelled one of his programmes on Monday due to poor turnout of people and realised the partys poor condition in the state. So he returned to Delhi and direction was given to the Central forces to capture the elections," Banerjee said while addressing a mammoth gathering at Alipurduars Kalchini situated below the Bhutan Hills in Dooars region of North Bengal. She further stated: "With all respect, it is my humble request to the EC to take care of the Central forces as they have heckled Sujata and her security guard received head injuries after being allegedly beaten up by the jawans. They are also terrorising women and asking them to vote in favour of the BJP. They are also threatening them with dire consequences if they do not cast votes in favour of the saffron camp." Urging people not to pay heed to the threats of the Central forces as they are here just for a few days while the TMC will look after them for the remaining days, Banerjee requested people to lodge FIRs against the Central forces wherever they unleash terror to deter electorates from exercising their power as per their will. Stating that national and international media are closely monitoring the Bengal elections as its supposed to be the most crucial in the national context, she urged to point out "how they (BJP) are running the elections using goons and guns". She sought the ECs statement as already seven to eight, including four Trinamool Congress workers, were killed in the run-up to the elections. "They are often found talking about violence in the Panchayat elections. But my question is why the situation in this election is worse than that of the Panchayat polls when it is being conducted by the EC, taking away almost all powers from the state government," Banerjee said. She urged "mothers and sisters" to stand unitedly against the Central forces atrocities. As she was speaking in Alipurduar, she alerted her partys leaders in the district to be alert as attempts would be made to bring in goons from Assam with which the district shares its borders. Stating that since morning, she is receiving information of BJPs defeat at all the 31 Assembly seats where elections are being held at present, she said: "What would common people do if the countrys Prime Minister and Union Home ministers only work is to tell lies. I would like to say that elections cannot be won by unleashing terror. It has to be done with love and affection."

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