Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today slammed the Centre alleging that the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), which conducts national exams for civil and armed police services is asking questions “prepared at the BJP party office” and thus weakening its foundation as an impartial body.

“I was shocked to see that politically motivated questions were asked in an exam conducted by the UPSC. How could they ask such questions? This is highly objectionable and completely unacceptable. How can an impartial institution do this? I have respect for UPSC but they have to maintain some dignity. Don’t you think this is to give a message to the aspirants to give full support to the BJP or else not be entitled?

It seems to say that if you want to work in the central forces, you have to be a yes man of BJP and believe whatever canards they are spreading. Any candidate or common man can move the court against such questions,” Miss Banerjee told reporters at Nabanna. In one of the 200-word questions for entry to the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF), candidates were asked to write a report on “poll violence in West Bengal”.

Questions on whether the farmers protest are politically motivated or not and the oxygen cylinder crisis in Delhi was asked in the recruitment exam. Reiterating that there was no post-poll violence in West Bengal, Miss Banerjee further alleged that the question paper shows how the BJP has politicised the central forces to serve its political interests.

“We have seen how CAPF were used to capture booths and kill people at Sitalkuchi in Cooch Behar during the Assembly poll in West Bengal,” she said. Four persons were killed in firing by the CAPF at a polling station at Sitalkuchi in Cooch Behar in April, the fourth phase of polling in the state. Hitting out at the BJP for “bulldozing” the “secular fabric and the Constitution of the country”, Miss Banerjee said.

“They are politicising the entire recruitment process. They (UPSC) are supposed to be neutral. It’s an effort to malign all people who are in Opposition. Can’t you see what is happening in Tripura and other BJP-run states? They have to pay for all this. Today they are in power but they cannot destroy the Constitution. Why should you compel people to display PM Narendra Modi’s picture in Covid certificates? They (BJP) have also politicised the NHRC (National Human Rights Commission),” she added.

A committee formed by the NHRC on the order of the Calcutta High Court had said the situation in the state was a manifestation of “law of ruler” instead of “rule of law”. Miss Banerjee had then pointed out that a man in the committee was a “BJP man”, and claimed that the post-poll violence narrative was concocted by the BJP as it could not accept its defeat in the recent Assembly elections.

The CAPF exam 2021 was conducted on 8 August to recruit assistant commandants in BSF, CRPF, ITBP, SSB, and CISF.