West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday called for a ‘movement’ against the Narendra Modi government at the Centre in view of rising prices and said the BJP would not be able to emerge a major political force in the Trinamool Congress-ruled state.
‘Within a month after coming to power, the Centre has increased the prices of petrol, diesel and hiked rail fares and freight rates. They (BJP) had said many things before the elections but after coming to power they are doing just the reverse. We will launch our movement against these democratically,’ Banerjee said while addressing a mammoth rally on the occasion of Martyr’s Day.
In an attack on the BJP, the TMC supremo said West Bengal has no place for the ‘communal party’. ‘After bagging two seats (in the general election) in Bengal they (BJP) are making so much propaganda and telling so many lies. In Bengal in the next election, they will not get even those two seats’, she said.
The number of seats will not cross two at any time. ‘Attempts are being made at many places to incite communal riots and I urge you to remain alert,’ Banerjee said adding her government would not tolerate communal tensions. She asserted that the TMC government in the state would work for equality of all castes and creeds.
The rally saw the switching over of four MLAs – three from Congress and one from CPI(M) to TMC in Banerjee’s presence, apart from hundreds of local leaders and workers from different Opposition parties. Magsaysay awardee and noted author Mahasweta Devi – who has supported Mamata during the 2011 campaign – and a number of Bengali film stars like Dev, Koel , June attended the rally.
Originally observed as Martyrs’ Day in remembrance of 13 Youth Congress activists WHO were killed in police firing on July 21, 1993, TMC has now christened it as ‘Maa Maati Manush Divas’. Traffic in Kolkata was predictably troubled through the day due to the rally. Lakhs of people from all districts converged in the city to participate in the rally, which was a celebration of the party’s success in the state in the general elections this year.
A number of city schools either declared a holiday or released students early. Office-goers had a harrowing time with fewer buses and other public vehicles plying on the streets. Police officials diverted vehicle movement to manage the route taken by the processions of TMC workers and supporters.
‘You should not come to politics if you don’t have any principles and values. If your party is not in power then you switch sides. If you have a small amount of principle and values left in you then come to Trinamool Congress and work for the people.But please don’t sell yourselves in front of money power. Some people are working as stooges of communal forces,’ she said. Banerjee said she would paint and write again to raise funds for her party.