Withdraw the draconian farm laws or step down: Mamata
Midnapore: Extending her full-fledged support to farmers in their fight to get back their due rights, Trinamool Congress (TMC) Chairperson Mamata Banerjee on Monday demanded that the BJP-led Central government should immediately withdraw the contentious farm laws or else it must step down.
In the "historic rally" at Midnapore Collegiate Ground with "a sea of people" that usually get to witness in "Brigade Parade Ground" in Kolkata, Banerjee from the very beginning of her address started attacking the Centre over the farmers' issue. She said that the saffron party should not continue to be in power after taking away all rights from farmers and handing it over to monopolists. "It must withdraw the farm laws immediately or step down," Banerjee said.
Taking a bundle of paddy in her hand, Banerjee said: "Today is the day when nabanna is observed across the state and I would like to say with paddy in my hand that we were with farmers in the past, we are with farmers in present and will continue to fight for them till the last breath of my life."
This is for the first time since coming to power in 2011, Banerjee has ensured her party's support to the issue for which the all-India bandh has been called on Tuesday. "Our government does not support bandh. But on behalf of Trinamool Congress I am saying that we support the issue as it is related to the farmers' ordeal," Banerjee said after reiterating the Centre's move of privatization of railways, defence etc. "A conspiracy is being fetched to sail out Indian Railways as I came to know that around 900 private companies are gradually coming up for the same without anyone's knowledge. What will the people of the country do if they sell out everything?" Banerjee asked.
Holding BJP responsible for doing divisive politics in Bengal that has the rich heritage of people of different communities living in peace and harmony, she said that the state will not bow before the "murderers of Mahatma Gandhi".
"What about the Rafale scam? What about the PM Cares fund? The Centre should publish a white paper in connection with PM Cares fund," Banerjee demanded after attacking BJP for maligning the state government despite carrying out overall development of the state and dividing people of two communities and two religion.
She once again slammed BJP stating it as a party of "outsiders" and said they would never become successful in making Bengal like Gujarat. "My mothers and sisters, it is you that has played a crucial role to oust the Left Front and now you all have to fight back once again if the outsiders attempt to capture Bengal," Banerjee said, adding that she would not fear if put behind bars. Instead she would work against BJP from jail as a freedom fighter instead of compromising with the saffron party.
Recollecting the misrule that led to the "nightmarish" incidents like Nandigram and Netai, Banerjee has also attacked CPI(M) for being the helping hand of BJP in Bengal.
