It was an accident, not an attack

India's Election Commission yesterday ruled out that there was any attack on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Nandigram, saying it was an accident.

The EC, after reviewing the reports sent by two of EC's special poll observers deputed in West Bengal and the state government on the incident, concluded that Mamata sustained injuries while campaigning due to "lapse on the part of her security in charge," said the sources.

There were allegations that the door of her SUV was pushed while she was campaigning in Nandigram on Wednesday evening after filing her nomination from the constituency. Mamata fell down and sustained injuries on her left leg and waist.

Her leg in a bandage and ensconced in a wheelchair, Mamata yesterday returned to the assembly election campaign pitch and said nothing will keep her from protecting the democratic rights of the people.

The 66-year-old led a rally from Mayo Road in central Kolkata to Hazra in the south, said "I am hurt and unwell, but my goal remains intact. ... I will continue to roam around Bengal on this wheelchair. If I go on bed rest, who will reach out to the people of Bengal?" she said.

The ruling came after West Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress raise its concerns EC over the Nandigram incident, which they termed as premeditated.  On the other hand, the BJP too had moved the EC and demanded an impartial probe into the incident and that the video footage of the incident be made public.

Meanwhile, Suvendhu Adhikari, who has switched over to the BJP from TMC recently, yesterday attacked his former party saying those who have given promotions to the police officers responsible for the 2007 Nandigram police firing, which left 14 people dead, have no right to seek votes from the people of the area.

Mamata has left her Bhowanipore constituency in Kolkata to fight Adhikari in Nandigram where an anti-land acquisition movement against the then leftist government catapulted her party to power in 2011.

YASHWANT SINHA JOINS TRINAMUL

On Saturday, former Union finance minister Yashwant Sinha joined the Trinamul Congress in the presence of Lok Sabha leader Sudip Bandopadhyay, Rajya Sabha leader Derek O'Brien and Bengal's minister for panchayat and rural affairs Subrata Mukherjee at Trinamul Bhavan.

"The democratic stature of our republic is in danger. Today, almost every institution of democracy has become weakened and unfortunately, the judiciary is also among them," he said as he explained why joined TMC.