It is better to convene an all-party meet to withdraw farm laws: CM
Kolkata: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said calling an all-party meeting by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to repeal the farm laws is the only way to resolve the ongoing impasse.
A day after the country's capital was mysteriously marred with violence after 65 days of peaceful agitation by farmers, in an interview to a news channel Banerjee said: "Talks between any union ministers with the farmers are not going to work in this situation anymore. I would like to say that Modi ji you are the Prime Minister of the country and not only a leader of BJP. Being the Prime Minister, he can take his own decision if willing to resolve the issue. I think it is better to convene an all-party meeting to withdraw this farm laws."
She further stated that Parliament's session is not needed for an all-party meeting as nowadays most meetings are taking place in virtual mode. Banerjee took a swipe at the Union Home minister Amit Shah—calling him as "bhaiyaji"—by accusing that 15 lakh whatsapp groups have been floated to spread canards. This comes when she was asked whether farmers are being used as a tool by the Oppositions to malign the Centre.
"They circulate fake videos through 15 lakhs whatsapp groups to discredit farmers," Trinamool Congress supremo said, mentioning that they are extending support from outside to the movement that has now spread in the
entire country.
In connection with Tuesday's incident at Red Fort, she said: "I do not support violence as she herself held a 26 days hunger strike for land rights. I also do not believe that farmers have done it. The boy who raised the flag has a photograph with Amit Shah and the Prime Minister. He is familiar to BJP also." "Don't you think it was an intelligence lapse and outcome of poor management by the government?" she raised the question after recollecting the "voice vote episode" to pass the farm Bills and sighted a series of moves of the Centre which "bulldozed the country's" federal structure.
"Majority does not allow you to kill people," Banerjee added. Criticising shouting of several political slogans apart from "Jai Shri Ram" in Netaji's 125 th birth anniversary programme at Victoria Memorial without maintaining dignity of a government programme, Banerjee said: "I did not speak as a mark of protest after expressing my gratitude to the Prime Minister. I remained seated till the end and I had been courteous as I did not ask the Prime Minister about such an act by his people".
Taking a dig at BJP for preferring polarisation of votes, Banerjee stated that she is ready for an open debate with Amit Shah and anyone on Hinduism. "I am also Hindu and will not take certificate from BJP whether I am Hindu A, Hindu B, Hindu C or Hindu D. Ram had offered Puja to Goddess Durga and I offer puja to Goddess Durga," she said, adding that she wants a peaceful, free and fair election with all concerned agencies functioning impartially.
