WB: Mamata accuses media house of planning to murder her

Kolkata: In the wake of a noisy protest she faced while visiting a gangrape-murder victim's family, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday claimed that a leading media house was conspiring with the CPM, Congress and Maoists to kill her.

Mamata told a party rally in North 24 Parganas that during her return from the Monday visit to Kamduni village in the district, she was told by police that there was a conspiracy to kill her.

"The police told me, do you know there is a conspiracy to kill you? I know the CPM, the Congress and the Maoists have been conspiring to kill me. But the plan is of (name of the media house). The (media house) is involved in this planning, I can say that," said Mamata.

She asserted she was not subjected to any protest on Monday, and there were only few Maoists and "CPM goons" who wanted to disrupt the meeting. She accused a section of the media of misleading the public by creating a mountain out of molehill.

"I don't blame the villagers, they are innocent. The CPM men had sneaked into the village a few days back. There was no demonstration, just a few Maoist and CPM men.

"I have been watching them for the past 35 years and can easily recognise them (Maoists). I even told police to keep a watch on them. The place is isolated and ideal for them to indulge in a conspiracy.

"I am not afraid to die. I can die for the cause of the people, but I cannot be blackmailed by any threat."

Mamata also accused a journalist of "wreaking havoc with her security and putting in peril her life".

"My security told me that I was without any security cover for over two hours and could have been murdered. They told me that a journalist using a few CPM men obstructed the police from coming near me," she asserted.

Naming the journalist, Mamata said: "You have wreaked havoc with my life and security. You should realise you are a reporter, you cannot do this. You should not forget that law forgives none.

"The central government has been telling me about the danger to my life. But I am not afraid of getting killed.

"The CPM has only one motive - to kill me and get back to power. But let me tell you friends, this will not happen, not happen, not happen.

"Despite 34 years of (Left Front) bloodshed, I have not indulged in any kind of revenge. Unlike CPM, I don't believe in the politics of murder."