TMC takes out rallies against malicious remarks of BJP

Kolkata: The people of Bengal will not tolerate any attempt to malign Mamata Banerjee, secretary general of Trinamool Partha Chatterjee said on Saturday.

Party leaders and workers held meetings throughout the state to protest against derogatory remarks against Banerjee and burning of her effigy by BJP workers on Saturday.

The Trinamool Congress on Saturday staged protest meetings and took out rallies all over the state between 1 pm to 2 pm.

Chatterjee said BJP leaders are keeping in touch with them against whom lookout notices have been issued. "The state administration should talk to them to gather information and whereabouts about Gurung," he said. He maintained that BJP had miserably failed to establish itself in the plains and now it has moved to the Hills where it will have a similar fate.

"The party is trying to control Bengal by flexing muscles and creating trouble. But the people in Bengal have a different political culture. Trinamool Congress believes in the development of Bengal and attempts to stall development in the state will be dealt with seriously."

Meanwhile, Subrata Mukherjee said that the language the BJP leaders are using does not go with the political culture of Bengal. "The BJP is trying to create trouble to foil Mamata Banerjee's attempt to develop Bengal, create trouble before the Under-17 World Cup which is an international event and develop contacts with Gurung whom the people of the Hills have rejected."

Chandrima Bhattacharya said as Dilip Ghosh, the state BJP president, has developed contacts with Gurung against whom lookout notice has been issued by the state administration, time has come to think of taking action against Ghosh. "He is talking about political courtesy on one hand and on the other is keeping contact with a person against whom a lookout warrant has been issued."

Indranil Sen said Mamata Banerjee is not at all scared by the movements launched by BJP in the state as "people in Bengal are against disruptive politics." He also added that by joining in the rallies in great numbers, people have shown their allegiance towards Banerjee and the Trinamool Congress.

In the city, protest meetings were held at Behala, Tollygunge, Gariahat, Hazra and Garia between 1 pm and 2 pm.