Bengal much better than other states: Mamata
Locks horns over issue of implementation of CAA with Amit Shah claiming it will be implemented once Covid wave is over
KOLKATA: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday launched a scathing attack on Union Home minister Amit Shah who had said in Rajya Sabha in April that one may be killed if he goes to Bengal.
“If anyone says don’t go to Bengal, you will be killed if you go there, it hurts me. Bengal is much better and secured than any other state in the country,” Banerjee said while addressing a programme at Netaji Indoor Stadium on the occasion of the first anniversary of her government’s third term in office.
Shah had alleged in the Rajya Sabha in April that the Bengal government had changed the interpretation of the word “fascist” and came up with a new definition. He expressed concern that if he went to Bengal, he would be killed.
“Whenever any untoward incident happens in this state, the police are issued strict instructions to take immediate action, without seeing any political colour. This is not Uttar Pradesh or Madhya Pradesh. This is West Bengal. Here, action is taken whenever there is any crime,” she reiterated.
“In Bengal, we have come up with Lakshmir Bhandar. But they only have ‘kutsar’ (canards) bhandar,” she added.
Banerjee also took a swipe at the Yogi Adityanath-led BJP government in Uttar Pradesh and asserted that violence against women cannot be justified by any means. “In Uttar Pradesh, if girls go to get justice, victims are made the accused. No one will dare to do that in Bengal. If anyone
does that, I will initiate the strictest possible action. Even my party workers will not be spared if they are guilty,” she said.
Banerjee was referring to the Lalitpur incident in UP where a SHO sexually assaulted a minor girl who had come to file a complaint of gang-rape at the police station.
She challenged any political party to match the development that her government had done in Bengal during 11 years of its rule.
“Anybody can challenge me in respect to the development work that has been done in the last 11 years. You have to do social work to do politics. Today, I once again take an oath before my mothers and sisters that until I leave, I will work for Bengal. Individual interest will be shown the exit door and only the greater interest of the common people will be at the forefront. I will continue to work for the people irrespective of their caste, creed and religion and will do everything to uphold unity in Bengal.”
Banerjee also criticised BJP'S move of raising money in containers and claimed that they are looting people of this country by anti-people moves, including escalating prices of petrol, diesel and domestic cooking gas.
She also reminded Shah to see that cow smuggling is prevented, along with infiltration and ensure peace is maintained at the borders.
“BJP'S work is to create divisiveness, what has he done as HM? They did violence even on the day of Eid,” Banerjee alleged.
Further she also said: “Don't do things to bulldoze the democratic structure of the country” and added: “don't play with fire, the people will retaliate by giving a befitting reply.”
The Union Home minister on Thursday while addressing a rally in Siliguri said the process of granting citizenship to refugees under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) will be implemented on the ground the moment Covid ends. He also accused Mamata Banerjee of spreading rumours that the CAA would not be implemented.
“The TMC is spreading rumours that CAA will not be implemented. I want to clearly say that the CAA would be implemented as soon as the Corona wave ends,” he said.
Banerjee, however, attacked the BJP stating the party should “stop using CAA to fool the masses” and stressed that she believed: “Everyone having voting rights is a citizen of the country. How could they (refugees who are Indian citizens) cast their franchise otherwise, and how come he became a Home minister? He has a habit of parroting lies,” she said.
Shah, who steered the passage of Citizenship Amendment Act in Parliament in 2019 which promises citizenship to minorities who have come from neighbouring countries between March 24, 1971 and December 31, 2014, claimed Banerjee is against giving refugees citizenship and in favour of infiltration.
Asked whether there will be an alliance of the Opposition before the 2024 election, Banerjee said she is keeping her fingers crossed.