Centre interfering in West Bengal’s jurisdiction: Mamata Banerjee

Kolkata, Dec 15: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday accused the Centre of interfering in the state's jurisdiction by summoning IPS officers to serve under it.

Banerjee also dared the Union government to impose President's Rule in the state, lashing out at the BJP for trying to convert West Bengal into "riot-torn" Gujarat.

She reiterated that BJP national president J P Nadda's convoy was not attacked and wondered why "convicted criminals" were accompanying him.

"If the BJP and the central government think they can scare us by bringing in central forces and transferring state cadre officers, they are wrong. The Centre is summoning our officers... No one wanted to hurt him (Nadda) or his convoy," Banerjee said at a rally here.

"Why were so many cars accompanying his convoy? Why were convicted criminals accompanying him? The goons who vandalised the bust of Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar last year were also accompanying Nadda... People get infuriated when they see such goons roaming free... I dare the Centre to impose President's Rule in Bengal," she added.

Referring to a recent letter addressed to the prime minister by BJP MP Subramanian Swamy over changing the national anthem, the chief minister said the people of the state will give the party a befitting reply if it goes ahead with such a "misadventure".

"They want to change the history of our country, and now the national anthem," she said.

Banerjee also said refugee colonies have been recognised in West Bengal, and no one needs to fear the National Register of Citizens, the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and the National Population Register.

"BJP has created a new religion of riots and hatred among communities," she alleged.