Launching a scathing attack on the Centre, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday said the “Prime Minister is totally incompetent, cannot run the country”.
Addressing a public meeting in Purulia sitting on a wheelchair, Banerjee said, “Prime Minister is totally incompetent, cannot run the country. An autocratic government is being run at the Centre. She alleged that the BJP-led central government suppresses the voice raised against them. “I will continue to fight against them. BJP hatao, desh bachao (remove BJP, save the country),” she said.
Stating BJP, Congress and the Left Front as ‘three brothers’, Banerjee raised the slogan, “Chaie na BJP ke chaie na, chaie na Congress ke chaie na, CPM ke chaie na. (we do not BJP, do not need Congress, do not need CPM). BJP ke bidai dao…Khela hobe, dekha hobe, jeta hobe (oust BJP, game is on, we will see, we will win).”
Mentioning the welfare schemes of West Bengal government, she said, “TMC government will remain, you will continue to get free ration. We will deliver ration to your doorstep. You do not have to come to the ration shop after May.”
The chief minister further said she cannot be cowed down by any ‘attack’. “I was hurt in an incident on March 10. Thankfully, I survived. Someone thought that I would not be able to do campaigning with a broken leg. But the pain of common people is more than my pain,” added Banerjee.
On March 10, Banerjee had alleged that she was pushed by a few unidentified people during her election campaigning. Later, she was brought to Kolkata’s SSKM Hospital by road from Nandigram.
Meanwhile, the Election Commission on Sunday said that the injury caused to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Nandigram was not a result of an “attack”, as per the findings of the state’s Observers and Chief Secretary.
The official source of the poll body said that there is ‘no evidence of an attack’ carried out on Banerjee.
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari speaking about the incident exclaimed, “What happened to Mamata Banerjee was an accident, everyone says it. This should not be politicized.”
Targeting the ruling Trinamool Congress as also Left Front and Congress which had earlier ruled West Bengal, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Monday said, “These parties kept giving false hopes of eradicating poverty. But even today Bengal is suffering from starvation and poverty.”
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday said that West Bengal was once India’s leader and now the state is entangled in “goondaraj”.
“Bengal was at one time was India’s leader. It was the hub of education, freedom fighters, religious leadership and more. The same Bengal is entangled in goondaraj,” said Shah during the virtual rally here on Monday. He further said that the TMC government has taken Bengal to new lows in the last 10 years.
“Corruption, political violence, polarisation, Hindus and SC/STs had to go to courts for celebrating their festivals – this is the sort of situation they have brought to the state, ruining development in the state,” Shah said.
After forming the government in West Bengal, he said: “We will build the Pandit Raghunath Murmu Tribal University, in Jhargram for improving opportunities for tribal students.”
“We will be providing 50 per cent financial assistance to students from tribal community scoring above 70 per cent, in the class 12 exam, for higher education,” he added.
“Under Stand Up India Scheme, the forthcoming West Bengal govt will allocate Rs 100 crores to help the tribal community become atmanirbhar,” he added.