Kolkata: Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee, on Tuesday, called for defeating the saffron camp in the 2024 general elections and said BJP's politics of hate and violence will find "no entry" across the country. She also questioned why the ED and the CBI were not being sent to the houses of corrupt BJP leaders.
Addressing a rally in Purulia, she said: "Let me make it very clear that there will be no entry for BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. It has to go. There are no chances of BJP returning to power." Slamming the Modi government for "using" central agencies to destroy the opposition, Banerjee said the CBI and the ED should first arrest corrupt BJP ministers.
"They (Modi government) are using CBI and ED and other central agencies to silence the opposition. Are the central agencies to be used only against (RJD leader) Lalu Prasad Yadav, and Satyendar Jain (AAP leader in Delhi)? What about the BJP ministers? Why is there no action against them? They too should be put behind bars," she said.
Banerjee's remarks come a day after Jain, the Delhi Health minister, was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case. Aam Aadmi Party has cried foul calling it a political move ahead of the Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections.
Accusing the BJP-led government of pushing the country into an economic crisis, Banerjee said: "The BJP-led government at the Centre is adulterated. It has destroyed the country's economy through disastrous decisions like demonetisation, which was a big scam". She asked: "Modi had said that the note ban will put an end to black money. But now counterfeit Rs 500 notes have come into the market. Can the BJP shed responsibility?"
The Trinamool chairperson said the whole country is not saying anything and the political leaders are silent. "I am raising my voice as I am not afraid of anyone and I know how to fight against them which I have learnt from Purulia," she remarked.
Banerjee stated that the people in Purulia had voted against the Trinamool in the 2019 Lok Sabha election. In the Balarampur Assembly seat, they had voted against TMC in the 2021 Assembly elections with the hope that the BJP would look after them in a better way. "But now they have realised that neither the MP nor the MLA visits the people. They have disappeared in thin air," she said.
Banerjee urged TMC leaders to go to the villages and talk to the locals and try to win their confidence. "Come out of your houses and go to the villages and meet the people. They have voted for us in the municipal elections. Ensure that people do not vote for BJP in the Lok Sabha elections in 2024," she said adding: "Our workers are our asset and they are our real strength. Remember, Didi is always there with you."
Banerjee stated that shortly the political scenario in Purulia would change. She said: "There will be an investment to the tune of Rs 72,000 crore in Raghunathpur and local people will get jobs. A film city will come up in Purulia along with an airport under the UDAN scheme." She assured that every household in the district will get piped water by 2024.
Listing the various welfare schemes undertaken for Purulia district she said the Trinamool-led government had taken initiatives like Lakshmir Bhandar, Swasthya Sathi, Sabuj Sathi and pension scheme for the senior citizens from the tribal community and hoped that the people of the area were happy with the development work done. Informing that religious tourism would be promoted in Purulia, Banerjee said: "We want all-round development of the area and this will be done. Have faith in me."