Addressing a public meeting in Uttarpara, Hooghly district, ahead of the second phase of polls on Wednesday, she said, “They hire people for their meetings. Yesterday some buses had come to my constituency also. I gave them sweets.”
Banerjee hit out at the BJP and central agencies stating: “See how angry BJP has got. They are under a lot of pressure. I heard that today around 50 helicopters are flying in the sky, 19 chief ministers, all central ministers, CRPF, CISF, BSF and Enforcement Directorate, Income Tax, NIA — they have got everything. Today morning my favourite Mota bhai held a meeting with the CRPF and said to slow down the voting so that people cannot vote. That is my guess.”
Urging lawyers to file a case against the Union Home Minister, she said: “In meetings they are talking of violence and no one will take any steps. But the lawyers, I say, should file a case. It is a crime. The Home Minister cannot talk of violence.”
Banerjee asked people to keep watch and ensure that outsiders do not enter the state. “All have to keep a check on religious places, hotels. They are saying they will stay in Bengal till the votes, but they cannot stay as they are not voters of Bengal. They cannot stay in voting areas,” she said.
“In 2011, I had said ‘badla na, bodol chai’ (not revenge but change is needed) and this time I am saying ‘bodol noi, democracy badla chai’ (not change but revenge is required for democracy),” Banerjee said.
Story continues below this ad
“I am fighting because they just want to finish Bengal. They have stopped all grants to us,” she added.
On the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, she said: “They made everyone stand in line during SIR and then ask why so many cast their votes. The reason is so that through NRC no one is omitted.”
Mamata Banerjee lashed out at the BJP over identity politics, saying: “Bengalis are murdered in other states. If one speaks in Bengali then they are called outsiders. Whenever they see Bengalis they are calling them Bangladeshi, Punjabis are called Khalistani and Muslims are called Pakistani. Then what are you? What is your identity?”
“I am thankful that I was born here, otherwise they would have called me a Bangladeshi infiltrator also,” she added.
Story continues below this ad
The chief minister, while questioning the timing of BJP’s poll promises of their schemes, said: “We had announced Yuva Saathi in our budget. Why did they not announce it in the budget? All the lies that they are saying — why were those not in the budget? They do not know Bengal.”
Taking a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s boat ride on the Hooghly river on Friday, Banerjee said: “Our Hooghly river is clean. It was an Army boat with full safety. He went for a tour. I am happy he saw all the clean ghats we have developed.”
“But I will say we have the Ganga. But during Covid you had dumped dead bodies from UP and we had caught it in Malda. We try to keep the Ganga clean, but you all pollute the Ganga. No money is given for dredging, no aid is given for floods,” she said.
“I request Modi that Delhi is his capital — why doesn’t he go to Yamuna once? It is completely polluted,” she added.
Story continues below this ad
On Modi eating Jhaalmuri in Jhargram last week, CM Banerjee said: “Few days back he came and had jhaalmuri. Previously he used to say he was a tea seller. He said he had jhaal muri and that its heat affected us. But the jhaalmuri was prepared from his own house, camera’s were fitted in that shop. They will feel the heat on May 4.”
Chief Minister Banerjee claimed that unemployment had risen by 40 per cent in the country, but reduced by 40 percent in Bengal. “Just go from Howrah to Bardhaman on the national highway — there is only industry and industry. We have made industrial hubs in many places. In Singur, Dankuni, six economic corridors are being made,” she said. “In Bengal, lakhs of investment are coming. Deocha Pachami, a coal complex, is coming up. Jungle Sundari in Jungle Mahal — crores worth of investment coming up,” Banerjee said.
“We have done a lot of development work for all the shaktipiths all over West Bengal. We have done skywalks for Kalighat mandir and Dakshineswar temple. We have built the Jagannath dham. They had filed a case against me in court also. They do divisive politics,” she said, while listing the development work in the state by her government.
“Work for Durga Angan has begun. We are giving Siliguri Mahakal mandir. We will place the tallest idol of Mahadev over there. And what have they done for the state or the country?” Banerjee asked.
Story continues below this ad
The second phase of polling in the state will be held on Wednesday. Counting is on May 4.
