 | « Back to article | Print this article |
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Thursday came down heavily on the Centre for alleged "politically motivated" questions asked at the CAPF (central armed police force) recruitment examination and said it proved that BJP has politicised the central forces to serve its political interests.
Banerjee alleged that the questions were prepared at the "BJP party office" and undermined the impartiality of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).
BJP hit back against Banerjee's allegations against UPSC and said there is nothing wrong in asking questions which are based on facts.
Banerjee said, "I was shocked to see that politically motivated questions were asked in an exam conducted by UPSC. I respect UPSC and our central forces. It shows how the BJP has politicised the central forces to serve its political interests. We have seen how CAPF were used to capture booths and kill people at Sitalkuchi in Coochbehar during the assembly poll in West Bengal".
In April, four persons were killed in firing by the CAPF at a polling station at Sitalkuchi in Coochbehar during the fourth phase of assembly poll in the state.
"This (questions) is too much and completely unacceptable. What is the message they (Centre) are trying to send out through this incident? That if you want to work in the central forces, you have to be a yes man of BJP and believe whatever canards they are spreading," she said.
"The UPSC is setting questions under BJP's direction. UPSC used to be an impartial body, but now its question papers are being prepared in BJP's party office. Even the question in a UPSC paper on farmers' protest was politically motivated," she said adding that the saffron party is "destroying institutions like the UPSC".
Banerjee's comment came amidst media reports alleging that questions on 'poll violence in West Bengal' and 'Farmers protests are politically motivated' were asked during a recently held CAPF exam.
PTI, however, could not independently verify the authenticity of these reports.
The feisty TMC boss also slammed BJP for destroying the "secular fabric and Constitution of the country".
Referring to the recent NHRC report on post-poll violence in West Bengal, which had said the situation in the state was a manifestation of the "law of ruler" instead of "rule of law", Banerjee said the BJP has even politicised the rights body.
"They (BJP) are giving out baseless and biased reports," she added.
Reacting to Banerjee's allegations against the UPSC, BJP state president Dilip Ghosh said the entire country should be made aware of the post-poll carnage in the state.
"There is nothing wrong in asking questions which are based on facts. If TMC can include its political movements in Singur and Nandigram in textbooks, then why can't questions be asked on political violence in West Bengal?" Ghosh asked.