'If there is infiltration, Shah & BSF DG should resign'
Darjeeling: "When we raise the Joy Bangla slogan we are labeled Bangladeshi but the Prime Minister of India was chanting the same slogan in Bangladesh four days ago. Why are they averse to Joy Bangla in Bengal?" questioned Abhishek Banerjee, Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP and National President of Trinamool Youth Congress addressing a mammoth gathering in Cooch Behar on Wednesday.
Banerjee was on a hurricane election campaign, addressing three rallies back-to-back in North Bengal on Wednesday. The rallies in Sitai and Rash Mela ground in Cooch Behar and Madarihat drew huge crowds. Countering Union Home Minister Amit Shah's repeated allegations of infiltration in Bengal, Banerjee stated "Who guards the international borders, it is the BSF. The BSF is a Central Force and under the Union Home Ministry. Amit Shah is the Minister and he should take responsibility of infiltration. He and the BSF Director General should resign."The TMC MP stated that people should bank on the development carried out by the Trinamool-led Bengal Government and not the empty assurances of the BJP. "It is time to decide whether you want free rations at your doorsteps or empty Bhasans (lectures)?" questioned Banerjee.
Throwing a challenge at the BJP leaders, Banerjee stated: "What have you done for Bengal in the last 7 years that you all were in power in Delhi. Bring your report card and we will get ours. You chose the venue. Let us debate on statistics, facts and figures and if I fail to drive you out of the political arena, I will step away from
politics."Banerjee further stated that instead of giving to Bengal the BJP led centre has been draining the State of resources. "Every year they take away Rs. 75,000 crores from Bengal," retorted Banerjee. He stated that the TMC party and specially TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee is by the side of people through thick and thin.
"During natural calamities, the pandemic you find Mamata Banerjee and the TMC leaders on the streets without caring for their own health. Many of our leaders were infected and died. Where were the BJP leaders? They come out only during elections. You will see them now and then again in 2024 during Lok Sabha elections," claimed Banerjee.
Training guns at the BJP, Banerjee stated "The BJP leaders from outside the state do not know anything about Bengali icons, language, culture and tradition. Even their candidate list and election manifesto did not have a single Bengali word. They can't even pronounce Bengali words, how will they turn Bengal into Shonar Bangla?"
He further stated that the BJP has proved the saying, What Bengal thinks today, the rest of India thinks tomorrow. "They are copying everything from Mamata Banerjee. She started the Ma Canteen, serving meals at a nominal cost of Rs. 5, the BJP then announced that they would soon start Annapurna canteen," he said
Trinamool Congress Supremo Mamata Banerjee is scheduled to address election campaign rallies at the Sanhati Maidan at Dinhata and Tufanganj SSA ground on
April 2. However, the scheduled has not been confirmed yet.
