Mamata stirs up controversy with ‘conspiracy angle’ in Ajit Pawar’s death

Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has insinuated a conspiracy behind the Wednesday plane crash on Wednesday that resulted in the tragic demise of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, and demanded a Supreme Court-supervised investigation

Banerjee had started with a post on X expressing shock at the death of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) President and other passengers aboard the aircraft, but adding: “The incident needs proper investigation”.

Later, on her way to Singur in Hooghly district to attend an event, she told accompanying media persons that she has no faith in Central investigation agencies to conduct an impartial probe into the crash, thus, demanding the involvement of the apex court to unearth the truth.

Banerjee’s conspiracy theory came in relation to the alleged prospect of Ajit Pawar likely quitting the BJP-led Maharashtra government alliance, Maha Yuti.

“There is no safety and security of people of the country, even for the political leaders. I do not know what the fate of the Opposition political parties is. He (Ajit Pawar) was very much with the ruling party. But a few days ago, I came to know from social media that somebody from the other party gave a statement that Ajit Pawar is willing to leave the BJP-led NDA,” she said.

Banerjee further implied that the NCP leader was planning to return to the opposition INDIA bloc.

“What happened today…. I need a proper investigation under the supervision of the Supreme Court. We have trust only in the Supreme Court and no other agency. All the agencies have been totally purchased. It is a great loss for the country,” she added.

\In light of this unfortunate incident, the Chief Minister postponed her planned trip to Delhi that was set for later in the day, where she had planned a protest against the Election Commission’s ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

Her Trinamool Congress has since picked up her conspiracy theory in a bid to spread it on social media.

“West Bengal’s Honourable Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed deep sorrow over the untimely demise of Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash. She also extended her condolences to his family, friends, and well-wishers,” said a post on the Trinamool Congress Facebook page.

“However, the Honourable Chief Minister appealed that this should not be seen as a mere accident and that it needs to be investigated under the direct supervision of the Supreme Court,” it added.

Taking a cue from the leader, other party members started echoing the observation.

“Just four days ago, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut had told the media that Ajit Pawar wanted to leave the BJP alliance and join the opposition grand alliance (especially with uncle Sharad Pawar). And this morning, his plane crashed, leading to his mysterious death,” wrote Arup Chakraborty, among the more vocal spokespersons of the Trinamool.

He then went a step ahead in looking up any unnatural deaths in the past

Mamata Banerjee had, earlier also, raised conspiracy theories.

During her political battle against the communists in West Bengal, she had repeatedly alleged that there were plans for her assassination.

In August 1990, when a firebrand Congress leader, Banerjee was reportedly hit on the head with a baton by a Communist Party of India-Marxist youth wing leader during a Kolkata rally. This fractured her skull, and she was inthe hospital fighting for life for over a month. In 1993, a protest organised by Banerjee, again as a Congress leader, led to violence and police firing. It resulted in the deaths of 13 people and became a significant turning point in West Bengal’s political history. The Trinamool still commemorates the incident as “Martyrs’ Day” and on several occasions, Banerjee has claimed that she was among the intended targets that day. She reiterated that charge on subsequent occasions, especially during the Singur and Nandigram movements that finally catapulted her as Chief Minister.

IANS