‘TMC was & will always remain part of INDIA bloc’
Kolkata: Amidst an apparent confusion among members of the Opposition coalition whether Trinamool Congress (TMC) is still part of their grand alliance against the BJP, given their rivalry with Congress and the Left in the state, The ruling party in Bengal, on Sunday, clarified that it “was and will always remain part of the INDIA bloc”.
On Sunday, TMC leader Derek O’Brien, while speaking at the INDIA bloc meeting in New Delhi, said his party was, is and will be part of the INDIA alliance. “This is a clear fight; BJP versus democracy. This is a fight against the Modi guarantee which has zero warranty,” he said.
The clarification by the party comes in the wake of the recent arrest of Delhi Chief Minister and AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal in the liquor policy case and the earlier arrest of Hemant Soren, former Jharkhand chief minister and JMM leader, in an alleged land scam case. TMC leaders O’Brien and Sagarika Ghose, echoed that their party will support AAP and Kejriwal.
On the dais, while stating that his party supremo Mamata Banerjee could not attend the meeting due to election campaign in Bengal, O’Brien said: “I am not mentioning the names of any of the dignitaries on stage except for two…we have two empty chairs for them…Mr Arvind Kejriwal and Mr Hemant Soren…you are with us in spirit”. He continued: “We know that AAP and Arvind Kejriwal are facing a big challenge before polls. Your popular leader has been sent to jail. This is tyranny and not democracy. The Modi government has an instrument to crush and stifle the Opposition. The name of the device is ED (Enforcement Directorate) which is the world’s biggest washing machine.”
“I want to say that this sort of politics, where power is with one person, one office, one party, is ruining and demolishing the social structure and federal fabric,” Derek said.
He further stated: “This fight is not only for Delhi but it is the country’s struggle against autocracy and Modi ji’s zero guarantee.”
Training his guns at the BJP for allegedly destroying federalism, he said: “Every state has some specialties. In Bengal, programmes like Kanyasree and Rupashree took women forward. Tamil Nadu gave Mid-day meal scheme, Telangana gave Raitu Bandhu and Kerala earned 100 per cent literacy. Kejriwal made Mohalla Clinics and modernised government schools. The Modi government doesn’t hear anyone and takes unilateral decisions. It doesn’t acknowledge state-centric issues.”
“In Bengal, at least 11 lakh people are homeless because the Centre withheld funds after the 2021 Assembly polls. Money is being routed to places where opposition governments are broken and MLAs are purchased…” he alleged. Sagarika Ghose said: “We want to tell you that the 2024 general election is between autocracy and democracy. Make democracy strong. Whoever has a better chance to defeat BJP, vote for that candidate.” She also criticised the BJP for the price hike of essential commodities and “growing unemployment”.
