BJP issues 1st response as EC rules out attack on WB CM Mamata Banerjee; Malviya hits out

BJP leader Amit Malviya demanded an apology from West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee and TMC after the Election Commission of India (ECI) ruled out her injury at Nandigram being the result of an attack. Noting that EC's ruling was embarrassing for outgoing CM Mamata Banerjee, BJP's IT cell head Amit Malviya claimed that the people of West Bengal were misled by false claims of an alleged attack. Further, the BJP leader said that Mamata Banerjee was 'called out for being economical with the truth' and remarked that the EC had no evidence to prove that Mamata was attacked at Nandigram. 

ECI rules out attack on Mamata Banerjee

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has ruled out West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee's injury at Nandigram being the result of an attack, thereby denting TMC's claims of the Nandigram incident being part of a conspiracy and not an accident. As per ANI, the ECI ruled out the possibility of it being an attack based on the reports of the poll observers and the Chief Secretary of Bengal, and it has said that details relating to this will be given in due course. On Saturday, the ECI had sought more information on Mamata Banerjee's injury in Nandigram, noting that the details that were provided were sketchy. 

This comes even as West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee began her roadshow on a wheelchair on Sunday from Gandhi Murti to Hazra in the poll-bound state. Mamata Banerjee was discharged from SSKM Hospital on Friday after her condition 'improved' following the alleged 'attack' during her visit to Nandigram on Thursday. Mamata Banerjee will address a public rally from a wheelchair at Hazra following the roadshow on Sunday. 

ECI finds Mamata attack report 'sketchy'

A TMC delegation comprising of Derek O'Brien, Saugata Roy, Satabdi Roy, Kakoli Dastidar, Pratima Mondal, and Santanu Sen had reached the EC claiming that the attack on Mamata Banerjee was a 'deep-rooted conspiracy hatched by the BJP to take the life of the Chief Minister. The ECI on the other hand found the report submitted by the West Bengal government on the alleged attack 'sketchy'. "The report submitted by the West Bengal government appeared to be quite sketchy and without any details of the incident like how it happened or who could be behind it. We have asked the state administration to furnish more details," an ECI official told PTI. 

On Wednesday, hours after filing her nomination from Nandigram, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had abruptly left her on-ground campaign claiming that she was attacked by 4-5 men during which she sustained a leg injury. Later, state-run SSKM hospital had said that Mamata had suffered 'severe bone injuries' in her left ankle, foot, and right shoulder. While there was no clear video footage of the alleged attack that took place in Birulia Bazar, Mamata was discharged on Friday and was seen being rolled out in a wheelchair.