Addressing a public rally in Domjur, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday, 8 April, slammed the Election Commission. Banerjee, as per ANI, said, “Even if 10 show-cause notices are issued against me, my answer will remain the same. I am telling everyone to vote unitedly. There will be no division. Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs and Christians, must not give a single vote to them (BJP).”
The Election Commission had issued a notice to the West Bengal CM over her statement on 3 April appealing to Muslim voters to unite against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and not let their vote be split. The EC has asked her to explain her stand within 48 hours, failing which it would take action.
Banerjee also trained her guns on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “How many complaints have been filed against (Prime Minister) Narendra Modi? He does Hindu-Muslim (politics) every day, how many complaints have been filed against him?” she asked.
Banerjee Hits Out at BJP
As per the report, Banerjee further said, “How many complaints have been registered against those people who referred to Nandigram’s Muslims as Pakistanis? Aren’t they ashamed? They cannot do anything against me.”
Banerjee accused the saffron party of only visiting Bengal ahead of the elections, and not during the pandemic, or Cyclone Amphan, or floods. She hit out at BJP for the increasing fuel prices in the country. She alleged, as per ANI that the rival party was destroying the country and using national media outlets to peddle lies against her and Trinamool Congress.
Banerjee reiterated that she stood with all religions and members of the tribal communities. She accused BJP for having “over one lakh thugs in West Bengal to convert it into Gujarat”, and said she will not let that happen, indicating that the saffron party had bribed several political leaders.
“Bengal will never be yours. This is the Bengal of Rabindranath Tagore, Nazrul, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Raja Ram Mohan Roy, and Ambedkar. BJP, you will never get this Bengal,” Banerjee said as per ANI.
Mamata Slams Rajib
Taunting defected TMC minister Rajib Banerjee, Mamata said, “I apologise to the people of Domjur for allowing gaddaar (traitor) Mir Zafar (Rajib Banerjee) to file nomination in the last election from this constituency. That traitor stole money,” Mamata was quoted as saying by ANI.
This year, Rajib is contesting from the Domjur constituency for BJP, and is contesting against TMC’s Kalyanendu Ghosh.
Banerjee further accused Rajib of wanting the engineering department so he could ask for more commission. She pointed out that after receiving a complaint, she had removed him from the post of the Irrigation Minister and gave him the Forest Minister’s portfolio. She challenged Rajib to reveal his financial details, including the properties he allegedly owns in Kolkata and in Dubai, before asking for votes, added the report.
Banerjee spoke out against the BJP at the Domjur rally while campaigning for Trinamool Congress in the ongoing eight-phase West Bengal assembly elections. The counting of votes will take place on 2 May.
(With inputs from ANI)
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