Democracy being attacked: CM targets BJP on Constitution Day, vows to protect it

“Do one thing [BJP], send 4 crore notices and we will still fight you! I condemn them for what they are doing. They have pushed the nation so low. Where is neutrality? There is only unfairness, partisanship,” she said.

Banerjee, who warned the BJP that it would lose power soon, also spoke up in defence of the thousands of block level officers (BLOs) in Bengal who are scrambling to complete the SIR process.  “BLOs are dying everywhere. Their demands are justified. Can you imagine that they had to sit for 48 hours just for a meeting?” she asked, referring to a protest staged by members of the BLO Adhikar Raksha Committee outside the West Bengal chief electoral officer’s (CEO’s) office over “excessive work pressure”.

“You (BLO) should not die by suicide because life is very precious. Yet they have no mercy and took 48 hours just to meet the BLOs and listen to them. Look at the audacity of a small leader [state CEO]! We have the records of all the deaths. Who is responsible for the BLO deaths in Gujarat and MP? BJP is in power there. Why are they rushing the SIR? Are they all saints? They are threatening the BLOs by saying their jobs will be taken away. Who will save your jobs when you are threatening others?” she said.

Pointing out that SIR work cannot be completed within two months, Banerjee said, “How can you complete the work of three years in two months? This is farming season. Even the distribution figures of the enumeration forms are wrong. We will follow the Constitution… Whatever guidance the freedom fighters have given us, we will follow their guidelines and not the BJP’s guidelines.”

Taking a dig at the BJP, CM Banerjee said,  “Are they trying to destroy Bengal’s identity? We are a part of India, proud to say that Bengal has always fought for democracy, secularism, and unity in diversity. We are saddened to see democratic rights being taken away, division happening on religious grounds.”

The CM also expressed concern over reports that MPs were allegedly being restricted from saying ‘Jai Hind’ and ‘Vande Mataram’ inside Parliament.

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