Mamata Banerjee questions timing of Pulwama terror attack before polls

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday questioned the timing of the Pulwama terror attack ahead of the Lok Sabha elections and wondered why no preventive measures were adopted despite an alert by intelligence agencies days ahead of the incident. “I have doubts and wonder how did the Pulwama attack happen right before the elections. Why were actions not initiated earlier to prevent this?” she told reporters in Kolkata. “The government had inputs from intelligence agencies on February 8 about the possibility of an attack prior to the polls. Why was no action taken? Why were 78 convoys allowed to move together?” the Trinamool Congress chief asked. Accusing the BJP and RSS of trying to incite violence across the state in the wake of the attack, the CM said, “We have got reports that some RSS pracharaks are roaming the streets at night, holding the national flag to create trouble. We do not support this kind of activities in the name of nationalism. We urge the people to not fall prey to such activities.” Banerjee was referring to areas such as Behala in Kolkata, Bongaon in North 24 Parganas and Serampore in Hooghly district. “The BJP and RSS are trying to create communal tension in the state. We have got reports from other places as well. I appeal to the administration to maintain law and order,” she said. Forty CRPF jawans were killed after a suicide bomber rammed his explosive-laden vehicle into a convoy in south Kashmir last Thursday. Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad had claimed responsibility for the attack. Source: Indian Express