‘BJP wanted to assassinate Abhishek’
Kolkata: Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo made a shocking claim saying that the BJP attempted to kill her party’s national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee. She was speaking at two election rallies — one in Birbhum’s Hansan and Bhatar in East Burdwan.
She alleged that the attempts were made after the BJP failed to fight her party politically.
Referring to two separate incidents — the arrest of one person identified as Rajaram Rege by Kolkata police for allegedly carrying out recce outside Abhishek’s residence and Opposition leader Suvendu Adhikari’s statement that he would burst a bomb, Mamata said without taking latter’s name: “The traitor in the BJP recently said that Trinamool will see explosions. If they have a grudge against me, they can kill me with a bomb. They even tried to kill Abhishek but we came to know about it in advance. The accused even conducted a recce of his residence, called him and asked for an appointment. Had Abhishek given him time, the accused would have shot and fled.” Rege who had once met the 26/11 Mumbai attack plotter has been arrested by Kolkata police.
She further stated: “These people want to kill everyone or put them behind bars who speak against them. If they were confident that they would win with peoples’ votes, what was the need to terrorise people?” Banerjee said.
Launching a scathing attack on the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, she remarked: “The BJP is so anxious about their performance in the current polls that they have been making dangerous statements. I do not want to repeat those comments here and pronounce the divisions.”
She alleged that PM Modi was dividing the people. “I am sad over the words uttered by the Prime Minister and Home Minister. In the coming days, they will have to pay for this. One cannot conduct elections or uphold humanity by sowing seeds of division,” she mentioned.
Banerjee once again asserted that the BJP would not get 200 Lok Sabha seats. She said: “BJP claimed to secure 200 Paar in the 2021 Assembly elections but could not even cross 80. This time, they are claiming to cross 400 seats. After seeing the impact in the first phase of polls, their heart rate has gone up. They have understood that people will not be fooled by their trickery and propaganda. They are not clearing MGNREGA dues but have money to spend on propaganda.”
She alleged that Modi exists only in publicity. “I call him Prachar Babu (publicity master). Whenever you watch television at the time of breakfast or lunch, Prachar Babu appears. Now he is dictating what the people will eat. Prachar Babu said nobody will be able to eat fish, eggs and meat. What people will eat is their individual rights and the Constitution of India has given equal rights to all. The BJP is now changing the Constitution,” she stated.
She further pointed out: “We want roti, kapda and makan for the people. One cannot be a leader by spending crores on advertisements or by dividing the country. If Prachar Babu comes to power again there will be no elections. They will take away everybody’s rights.”
Referring to Calcutta High Court’s judgment on the cancellation of jobs, Banerjee said: “If they (Court) had pointed out where the mistakes had taken place, we could have rectified them. People can make mistakes. I cannot take everything as these things are taken care of by the Education department. A one-sided judgment threw 26,000 youths out of job. They have said that the salaries drawn for 8 years should be returned. I ask those who delivered the judgment what they would have done if the jobs of their children would have gone.”
In an apparent condemnation of the judgment Banerjee said: “Some people are fed up with the state government’s money. They would take all benefits from the government and would take security cover. With the striking of a pen, all jobs have been cancelled. Those who have performed jobs for 8 years, wouldn’t they have social prestige? Who will take responsibility if someone commits suicide?”
Alleging that BJP might have influenced the verdict, Banerjee said: “Based on BJP’s directions, over 26,000 people have been asked to return their salaries of the past 8 years along with interest. How is this possible? They got jobs in 2016 but this development took place during the 2024 polls.” She attacked Suvendu Adhikari without taking his name: “The traitor talked about explosives a few days ago and the jobs of 26,000 people were cancelled. How did the traitor know about this before the verdict was out? If BJP hadn’t dictated this verdict themselves, how did they know about this on Saturday – two days before the verdict came out? Now, he is celebrating that our youth have lost their jobs.”
Pointing out that it would have an adverse impact on education, Banerjee said: “Who would teach in schools? Where these schools will get teachers from. Will BJP and RSS teach the students?”
She alleged that Adhikari is the biggest thief and also claimed that jobs were sold in Purulia but she would not take the name of the accused. She raised questions on how Adhikari gets protection from Court after a woman, wife of his security, lodged an FIR against Adhikari.
