Questions on Bengal post-poll violence in CAPF recruitment exam politically motivated: Mamata

Lashing out at the Centre over questions on post-poll violence in West Bengal in the Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) recruitment examination, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday said that it shows how the BJP is politicising the Central forces and the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).

The Chief Minister further alleged that the BJP was using the CAPF and the UPSC for its own political gains. Speaking to reporters at the State Secretariat, Mamata claimed that the questions were put in the examination at the behest of the saffron party and were prepared at the BJP party office.

“I was appalled to see the politically motivated questions at an examination conducted by the UPSC. It shows how the BJP has politicised the CAPF to further its political agenda. We have seen how the CAPF was used to capture booths and kill people at Sitalkuchi during the Assembly elections,” Mamata said.

Four persons died at a polling station in Cooch Behar district’s Sitalkuchi area during the fourth phase of the West Bengal Assembly elections in April when the Central forces opened fire.

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The Chief Minister asked whether such questions at a CAPF recruitment examination were intended to send a message to aspirants that if they want to work in the Central forces, they have to toe the BJP’s line.

“This is just too much and totally unacceptable. Is this an attempt by them (Centre) to send a message that if one wants to work in the CAPF one has to toe the BJP’s line and be a yes man of the party believing in whatever propaganda they are spreading,” said Mamata.

She also dubbed it as an attempt to politicise the recruitment process and to undermine the neutrality of the UPSC.

“This is an attempt to politicise the recruitment process. The UPSC is supposed to be neutral. This is a ploy to malign all those who are in the opposition. They (BJP) have also politicised the NHRC...They are trying to destroy the secular fabric and Constitution of our country,” said Mamata.