2024 won’t be a vote for election, but for rejection: Mamata
People’s tsunami: Central Kolkata venue was packed with lakhs of TMC supporters, party workers amid heavy rain as the Martyrs’ Day programme kicked off after a 2-year Covid break
KOLKATA: TMC chief Mamata Banerjee on Thursday urged the people to turn 2024 into a “rejection election”, asking them to “break the shackles of the BJP and its monumental incompetence. Install a propeople government,” at the Martyrs’ Day rally in Kolkata.
She claimed the BJP will not get a majority in the Lok Sabha in 2024. “Sometimes the BJP plays the Hindu card, Muslim card, and sometimes the tribal card. But they will not give tribals their rights,” she further said, referring to the BJP-led NDA fielding Droupadi Murmu as Presidential candidate.
After a two-year break due to Covid, the TMC’s annual event gained more significance being the first after the party came to power for a third consecutive term last year.
The TMC supremo, while laying the roadmap for the party, said: “I want only one secular party to remain in the country and that will be the Trinamool Congress. The BJP will not get a majority in 2024 and when that happens, all the Opposition parties will have to be united and form the government. However, it is my belief that we will come on top when that happens.”
The Trinamool chairperson said: “We will win all the seats in West Bengal. In Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Tripura, Goa, Meghalaya, we will also win with the help of like-minded parties.”
She urged party workers to gear up for the 2024 elections and asked leaders, including councillors, MLAs and MPs to go to the masses and develop contacts with them.
Coming down heavily on the Agnipath scheme, she added: “What are the youths going to do after losing their jobs after four years. Will they become BJP cadres,” she asked adding: “Don’t deprive the Indian Army. We are all proud of it.”
The BJP government at the Centre has sold everything — Air India, Coal India, Railways. All they have done is sell every aspect of the country because they have no idea how difficult attaining Independence was. And now, with the Agnipath scheme, they want to do the same with the Indian Army, she said.
Criticising the BJP’s policy to dislodge governments in different states, she cautioned the party not to even look at Bengal. “BJP is now trying to dislodge every state government. Don’t try to play this dirty game in Bengal. We have a Royal Bengal tiger here.”
Taking direct aim at the Modi government, Banerjee lashed out at the new Goods and Services Tax (GST) imposition on food items such as curd, rice puffs and lassi. “What will the poor eat and how much GST do we have to pay if we die?” she asked.
Taking on the central agencies, which the opposition accuses the government of misusing, she added: “If the CBI or ED call you for an investigation, serve them a plate of rice puffs.”
Continuing her jibe against the Narendra Modi-led government, Banerjee said: “Look at the cost of LPG cylinders now. Look at fuel prices. Not only that, they are also diluting the Indian Army through the Agnipath scheme. It is nothing but an attempt to create a cadre for their party. There is no need to have a government which increases prices of fuel and LPG cylinders.”
Slamming the BJP for causing an economic blockade in Bengal, she said: “BJP has stopped paying the dues of 100 days work and Bengal Abas Yojana. Release the funds immediately as they are our dues.”
She said unlike the BJP, Trinamool Congress does not divide society and community. “Before every election, they play a communal card and try to divide the social fabric. We believe that in India people from all religions, castes and creeds should live peacefully and happily as this is our culture and tradition.”
Banerjee cautioned her party workers not to take the money and harass people. “If you see any party worker taking money from people, take them to the police.
Our ideology is to put honesty and conscience before money.”
On 21 July 1993, the
West Bengal Youth Congress under the leadership of Mamata Banerjee lost 13 of its cadres in police firing while protesting against the then CPM government. Banerjee too sustained injuries along with other senior leaders like Saugata Roy who were all part of the Congress then.
In 2011, when Banerjee took over as the Chief Minister of West Bengal, she not only set up an inquiry into the 1993 police action but also announced the day as ‘Martyrs’ Day’. It has since been observed thus by the TMC (founded in 1998) annually to commemorate the victims and send out a political message.