This election is the ‘second battle’ for country’s Independence: Mamata
Kolkata: Terming the 2024 Lok Sabha polls a pivotal moment akin to the “second battle for the country’s Independence,” Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee from an election rally in Murshidabad warned the people that there will be no spirit of democracy and the Constitution will be changed if the Modi government returns to power at the Centre.
She also accused the Centre of using the Central forces to loot votes. Taking a dog to the Centre for the deployment of Central forces, Banerjee said: “There is a caretaker government at the Centre after the notification of elections. How are they conducting the elections only with the Central forces keeping the state police forces out? BJP is using the Central forces as their party cadres. They are doing so to loot votes. We have got enough evidence and we will produce them at the right time.”
She further asked: “Why state police forces were not used in the elections held in the North Bengal region? Will we suppose that the election was held to help somebody?”
The first phase of elections took place in 3 seats of North Bengal on Friday (April 19).
Banerjee stated that it is a fight to save democracy from the hands of the BJP. She said that people’s democracy and freedom will be completely destroyed if the BJP comes to power again.
She also told the gathering that the Modi government will not come to power this time.
“The BJP’s claim that they would cross 400 Lok Sabha seats is a gimmick,” Banerjee said.
She alleged that it was BJP’s survey and they spent crores of rupees on social networking sites to carry out this propaganda.
She was addressing the public rally at Hariharpara in the minority dominated Murshidabad district.
“BJP will not cross 200 seats. It was BJP’s survey that said that it would get over 400 Lok Sabha seats. They (BJP) have invested crores of rupees to project that would get over 400 seats. They wouldn’t get 200 seats. It is evident if you look at the people’s language,” Banerjee told the gathering.
She said that Trinamool will lead the INDIA alliance if it comes to power at the Centre. She also said that Congress and CPI(M) in Bengal do not believe in the spirit of the INDIA alliance as they help BJP.
“We formed the INDIA alliance. It works in Delhi but the Congress and CPI(M) in Bengal do not respect the philosophy of alliance and they support the BJP. Do not cast a single vote in favour of Congress as it will invariably go to the BJP. If you cast your vote in favour of CPI-M, the dark days will come again,” Banerjee appealed to the people.
Earlier in January, Banerjee had announced that her party would contest the Lok Sabha elections in West Bengal alone, rebuffing efforts by the Congress leadership to negotiate a seat-sharing agreement.
Referring to the incidents of painting Central government offices with saffron, Banerjee said: “They are painting airports, Railway stations with saffron. Sadhus (monks) wear saffron. When have you (BJP) become sadhu?”
Banerjee on Friday accused the BJP of inciting violence during Ram Navami celebrations in the state, claiming that the saffron camp only believes in bloodshed and violence to serve its political interests. Banerjee contended that the Ram Navami violence in Murshidabad was ‘pre-planned’, squarely laying the blame on the BJP for orchestrating it ahead of Lok Sabha elections.
Incidentally, an explosion occurred near a procession in Murshidabad’s Shaktipur area on Wednesday resulting in injuries to a woman. “The BJP only believes in bloodshed and violence to serve its political purpose. The BJP is stoking violence in the state. Why did BJP leaders conduct processions with weapons and flout court orders? Who told them to conduct rallies with weapons? Who permitted them?” Banerjee asked.
Highlighting the toll of violence, Banerjee revealed at least 19 people sustained injuries during the Ram Navami festivities.
Furthermore, Banerjee accused the BJP of exploiting central forces to manipulate electoral outcomes, urging the Election Commission to intervene and address these concerns.
Banerjee also urged migrant voters in the state to cast their votes in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections before departing. She emphasized the significance of exercising their democratic rights, warning that failure to do so could lead to potential citizenship issues under the Bharatiya Janata Party’s rule.
She once again reassured that her government in Bengal would never implement the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), the National Register of Citizens (NRC), and the Uniform Civil Code (UCC).
