New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday asserted that it was his ministry's "right" to issue an advisory to the West Bengal government after the state witnessed political killings and appealed to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to ensure such incidents do not recur.
Shah was speaking in the Rajya Sabha while replying to a debate on a statutory resolution on extension of President's rule in Jammu and Kashmir. "It is my right to give suggestions. It is not because of general law and order situation but because of political killings motivated by political reasons," he said. The Home Minister said he appeals to Banerjee to ensure the political killings do not recur in her state.
His remark came in response to questions by the Trinamool Congress members who asked why the Home Ministry had issued advisory to West Bengal and not to BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh, which too was witnessing killings. Making a distinction, the Home Minister said the killings in Uttar Pradesh were not politically motivated, unlike West Bengal. After his reply, Trinamool member Derek O'Brien raised a point of order, objecting to naming of Banerjee in the House and saying that political killings in West Bengal are taking place not only because of one particular party. Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu, however, overruled him, saying Shah had not made any derogatory remark against the Chief Minister but only made an appeal to her.
