Kolkata:
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee slammed the Communist Party of India (CPM), accusing it of spreading false and dangerous rumours and indulging in the politics of murder.
Public Health Engineering Minister Subrata Mukherjee told the West Bengal Assembly that rumours had been making the rounds that drinking waters supplied from a plant at Dongria in South 24 Parganas district had been poisoned. As a result, close to 15 lakh people went without drinking water for a whole day. Tests, however, proved there was no poison in the water.
Mr Mukherjee accused the CPM of spreading the rumours to create trouble. Mamata Banerjee backed him in the Assembly and later held a press meet, where she slammed the CPM.
"They are taking advantage of our decency and the CPM is thinking of using force, killing, conspiring ... what kind of politics is this? We know that their politics worldwide is the politics of murder, they murder people, bury them, throw the bodies into the Haldi river," she said.
"But the rumour that there is poison in drinking water, this is dangerous. Water is life .... why is the CPM and some Maoist friends doing such terrible politics.. why? I condemn it. Government will investigate .. it is investigating. After seeing these incidents, if any thing happens, CPM will be responsible," the West Bengal chief minister said.
The CPM has demanded Ms Banerjee either prove her statement or retract it.