‘We are fighting against BJP in Bengal, don’t give a single vote to anyone else’
Kolkata: Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee launched a scathing attack on the BJP-led Centre alleging that the saffron camp is trying to terrorize the Opposition parties by using Central agencies and also warned people to maintain calm and stay alert as “some may try to engineer riots”.
Her remarks came during an event commemorating Eid-ul-Fitr at Red Road on Thursday morning.
Referring to the recent incident in Bhupatinagar, Banerjee mentioned that the Centre dispatches the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to Bengal even for minor incidents like a chocolate bomb explosion.
“They send NIA to Bengal if a chocolate bomb explodes. Everyone is afraid of ED-CBI. I am not afraid of the agency. I don’t fear death,” she said. Banerjee urged the people: “If anyone comes to riot, you should keep quiet, keep your head cool. We want a beautiful sky for which everyone must stay together.”
She claimed that the saffron party is converting the entire country into a prison.
“Central agencies like NIA, CBI, Income Tax, and ED want to arrest everybody now. I say, building a prison is better than this. And fill it up with Opposition leaders. But can you imprison all 130 million people in the country? We fight like the Royal Bengal Tigers.”
Banerjee reaffirmed her stance against enforcing the CAA, National Register of Citizens and Uniform Civil Code in Bengal and warned against seeking citizenship under the Act, cautioning that it could lead to categorisation as foreigners.
“We are ready to shed blood for the country but will not tolerate torture for the country. A uniform civil code is not acceptable. I want harmony in all religions. Your safety, your life,” Banerjee said, adding: “We will not accept the CAA, NRC, Uniform Civil Code. During elections, some people will try to engineer riots. Don’t fall prey to the plot. If we live unitedly, nobody will be able to harm us.”
Banerjee had earlier pledged against enforcing the CAA in the state and cautioned people that seeking citizenship under the CAA would categorise them as foreigners, advising them against it. Incidentally, Union Home minister Amit Shah at an election rally in Balurghat, on Wednesday, alleged that Trinamool was “misleading” people regarding the CAA and “facilitating” infiltrators for political gains, stressing that refugees should apply for citizenship without apprehension.
While attending Thursday’s gathering at Red Road, Banerjee said: “We are fighting against the BJP in Bengal. Don’t give a single vote to anyone else.”
She described the occasion of Eid as one of joy and resilience, especially for those who observed fasting throughout the month. “It is the Eid of happiness. It is the Eid of giving strength. It is a big thing to observe this Eid by fasting for a month,” Banerjee remarked.
