In an interview given to ZEE- 28 ঘণ্টা, a regional Bengali news channel, The Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee stated that there is plot to assassinate her and she believes that a contract has been given to hitmen to get the job done. She furthered that she has reports that suggest that even an advance amount has been paid to the hitmen and they have already visited her house to understand the layout of her residence and its surrounding.
This comes in the wake of unprecedented violence in the run-up to Panchayat elections in Bengal, where Trinamool Congress has been accused of committing nomination fraudulence and physical intimidation.
“I have received reports which indicate a political party is conspiring to kill me, they have hired hitmen ”
This is not the first time Banerjee felt that there is a conspiracy to assassinate her. In 2016 over a delayed landing in Kolkata airport, her party took the same line accusing that there is a conspiracy and the chief minister’s life is in danger.
This constant state of paranoia is not restricted to Bannerjee, time and time again such paranoia has been shown by different opposition political party leaders across India.
Even the president of the National Congress, Rahul Gandhi, has talked about conspiracies plotted against him. Toeing Mamata Banerjee’s line he too claimed that there is more than what meets the eye about the incident where the private jet which carried him from New Delhi to Hubbali had suffered unexplained difficulties, even though his theories had gaping loopholes.
The complaint filed with the Karnataka police stated: “suspicious and faulty performance of the aircraft” meant that “serious questions relating to intentional tampering” needed to be investigated. After again adding the angle of “intentional tampering”, the complaint raised serious questions over aviation safety.
However, it was later reported that an enquiry had contradicted Congress’ conspiracy theories and rejected any sabotage.
Mamata Banerjee hasn’t yet revealed any further details of this alleged assassination plot or mentioned which political party is allegedly conspiring to assassinate her.
