Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday accused the Opposition Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPM) of hatching a conspiracy to mix poison in a water plant in South 24-Parganas district, provoking the Left to term the remarks "irresponsible" and "defamatory".
Speaking in the state assembly, Public Health Engineering Minister Subrata Mukherjee said a "rumour" was circulating at Nodakhali in South 24-Parganas that a water plant had been poisoned.
"I have been told that the CPM party is behind this rumour. I am suspicious that they have such a plan. It's a deep conspiracy," he said. Endorsing her minister's statement, Mamata told the house that the matter will be probed.
"Ja rate ta kichu bate (There cannot be smoke without fire)," she added.
Then turning to the opposition benches, Mamata said they had spread the rumours. The CPM led Left Front members were on their feet, demanding the speaker expunge the remarks.
But when the speaker did not agree, they staged a walk-out. Speaking to reporters outside the house, Mamata said, "I have endorsed whatever my minister said. This is a dangerous game. A political party is hatching such conspiracies because it is out of power. They want to murder people to discredit this government. They are spreading rumours."
Continuing her vitriolic attack, Mamata alleged that the CPM was also trying to orchestrate riots.
"But we have made their plans unsuccessful. Some people have also been arrested," she said.
"What sort of politics is this? Just because somebody is not in power, why should they add poison to water, mid-day meals or Intensive Child Development Scheme projects?" she asked.
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