'Reaching Mamata a distant dream, Oppn needs to face TMCP first'
kolkata: Stating that the Trinamool Congress (TMC) would never bow down its head before anyone, party's national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Monday said the opposition would have to first fight the party's students' wing or Chhatra Parishad before attempting to reach Mamata Banerjee's level.
"Let the student leaders of CPI(M) and BJP combine, I can say with guarantee, TMCP will still defeat them handsomely.Reaching Mamata Banerjee is a distant dream for them, the Opposition needs to first face off with our Chhatra Parishad, our students, who are our pride," he said, while addressing a rally of Trinamool Congress Chhatra Parishad (TMCP) on Mayo Road.
"What is this corruption that the Opposition leaders keep harping about? Is Lakshmir Bhandar a corruption? Is Kanyashree corruption? Is Shikhashree corruption? Is serving the poor corruption? I can say this with pride, there is only one leader who has managed to defeat the might of the BJP and that is Mamata Banerjee. We have seen that wherever BJP goes, they win elections. But in Bengal, the 'Bohiragoto' were resoundingly defeated by Mamata Banerjee. This is the reason for BJP's agitation with Trinamool Congress and the people of Bengal," he added.
Coming down heavily on the Union Home minister Amit Shah, Banerjee said the cattle scam was actually the corruption of the Home Minister. Banerjee alleged that cattle and coal smuggling take place under the nose of BSF and CISF, which are both central agencies. "Why doesn't Amit Shah ask the BSF how the cattle are smuggled? Is the money from cattle smuggling directly going to Delhi?" he asked.
"We saw yesterday, how after India's victory against Pakistan, the Home Minister's son, Jay Shah, refused to hold our National Flag. And these BJP leaders claim to be the architects of Har Ghar Tiranga," Banerjee pointed out.
Banerjee demanded that either Amit Shah should tender an unconditional apology or submit resignation after his son Jay Shah refused to hold the National Flag after India beat Pakistan in Asia Cup in Dubai. "The arrogance of Jay Shah needs to be checked. These are the BJP leaders, who give us certificates on nationalism. Let me remind them, it is because of Bengal, that our country has got independence. Our forefathers fought for our independence, we don't need their certificates."
Banerjee said BJP every now and then talks about family inheritance of politicians. "Who is Jay Shah? Is he a good cricketer? How has he become the secretary of BCCI," he asked. Referring to the alleged rape of a house wife by BSF personnel in Bagda, Banerjee said: "Is it Modi and Shah's new India? Why are Modi and Shah silent today?" he questioned, adding that Trinamool was 'Ghas Phooler Dol', 'the more you cut the grass, the faster it will grow.' The leader stated that no one had the power to remove Trinamool from Bengal or from India.
Criticising a section of the media, Banerjee said: "Every day the media is trying to highlight one loophole of the state government or the other. But why it is silent on the alleged rape of a house wife by the BSF personnel in Bagda? Every day the media is engaged in a talk show, where criticism of the Mamata Banerjee government is the prime motive. Why is there no debate on the Bagda issue in the media?" he asked.
He lambasted the state BJP leaders for their statement that because of them the Centre had stopped releasing funds. "This is the actual face of the BJP leaders. The traitors like Suvendu Adhikari and Sukanta Majumdar are trying to malign Bengal and divide the state. They do not want the development of Bengal." Banerjee said, unable to face TMC politically, BJP had taken recourse to send the central agencies like the ED and CBI to scare TMC. He further urged TMCP supporters to face the challenge and do not get scared by the terror tactics of the BJP.
"I want to tell the students of Chhatra Parishad, once your college is over, go visit the poor, and solve their issues. This is Trinamool - for the people, by the people and of the people," he added.
