"Unfortunate": Rajnath Singh On Mamata Banerjee's "200 Cars Of CRPF Men" Remark

Union minister Rajnath Singh, on the campaign trail in West Bengal, said today that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's "200 trucks" comment was "unfortunate" and should not have been made. Asked about the matter in an exclusive interview with NDTV, Singh said, "In every election, in any state, paramilitary forces go there so that voting can take place properly and no law-and-order situation arises. That is why they are sent. If our paramilitary personnel have come to West Bengal, it is not the first time".

He also said the Election Commission is an "autonomous organisation" and pointing fingers at it is "unfortunate".

Mamata Banerjee had sparked a row yesterday with her claim that the 200 cars carrying Central forces are on their way to Bengal - "from Uttar Pradesh via Ayodhya to attack you". 

Read: Mamata Banerjee's "CRPF From UP To Attack You" Claim Gets Poll Body Response

The Chief Minister has been extremely vocal against the Election Commission and the voter roll revision it is conducting, claiming it was being done at the behest of the BJP and is just a ruse to remove Trinamool supporters from the lists ahead of the assembly. election. 

"Don't be afraid," she had told the audience. "This is a 15-day trick, a 15-day game, a 25-day game, and then they'll understand," she added while speaking at an election campaign rally in Nadia district.

The Election Commission - which is deploying nearly 2.4 lakh Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) personnel in West Bengal - has maintained its calm, saying its objective is to "ensure fear-free, peaceful, and fair elections". 

The number of personnel deployed in this election is the maximum seen in recent years. For the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, 920 CAPF companies (nearly 92,000 personnel) were stationed in Bengal, which was again the highest figure that time.

Asked about the ruling party's allegations about polarisation of voters, Singh said the BJP "never talks about Hindus and Muslims".

Read: 'Another Pahalgam Before Polls?' Mamata Banerjee's Shocker, BJP's Response

"We do not want to divide the country on basis of religion. Rather, we are people who practice the politics of justice and humanity. Truth be said, if anyone plays politics on the basis of religion, it is the Trinamool, the Congress, and other political parties," he said.

Speaking at the roadshow in Barrackpore attended by cheering crowds, Singh said the message from the crowd is "crystal clear" -- the Trinamool government is leaving West Bengal, and the BJP government is coming in.