Kolkata: Claiming that the BJP would not have secured even 30 seats without being directly helped by the Election Commission (EC), Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that the downfall of the saffron camp is inevitable and has already begun.
On Saturday, Banerjee addressed the state Assembly for the first time after returning to power for the third consecutive term with a thumping majority. In her first speech in the House, Banerjee not only termed this victory to be "miraculous and unbelievable" after all the conspiracies of the BJP but also lashed out at the saffron camp for "unleashing terror" without accepting the people's mandate and the failure of its government at the Centre for pushing India to the brink of destruction in a bid to set up a "double-engine government" in Bengal.
She held the Modi government responsible for the Covid situation in the country as no necessary steps were taken in the past six months that would have helped to avoid "today's situation".
"Even if considered from the time of TN Seshan, the role of the EC is to check rigging of votes. But this time, the rigging has taken place under the watch of the EC. I can challenge that they (BJP) could not have won even 30 seats without direct help from the EC. They have won most of the seats with the help of the poll panel. Their downfall is inevitable and it has already begun," Banerjee said, adding that the people of Bengal have not bowed in front of any pressure and given the mandate against all atrocities.
"They (BJP) still cannot accept the mandate of the people. As a result, they are posting fake videos and spreading false information as attempts to incite violence. Ninety nine percent of news of violence are fake. I would request them to accept the defeat gracefully," she said, directing the administration to take stringent action against those trying to incite violence and communal tension.
Reiterating her demand for free-of-cost universal vaccination across the country, Banerjee said: "It would take Rs 30,000 crore to provide free of cost vaccines to everyone in the country. Is it a huge amount for the Centre to spend for the benefit of the common people at this time of Covid pandemic? Rs 50,000 crore is being spent for the new house of the Prime Minister."
The Bengal government also wanted to procure vaccines but it wasn't possible as the Centre did not give clearance for the same, she said protesting against diversion of oxygen from Bengal to other states when the requirement here is going up to 550 MT per day.
Today, the country's Covid situation is worse just because of the BJP-led Central government as a host of their Central ministers and Chief Ministers of states ruled by them were sitting here to grab power in Bengal not doing any work in the last six months, she said.
Banerjee on Saturday was present in the state Assembly to attend the election of the Speaker. Biman Bandyopadhyay was unanimously elected as the Speaker for the third consecutive term.
Trinamool Congress secretary general Partha Chatterjee said: "This is the hattrick of our government and Biman Banerjee as the Speaker."