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Journalism of Courage
Campaigning for the July 8 panchayat polls for the first time, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said Monday in Cooch Behar that after the elections, the Trinamool Congress would not allow corruption at the grassroots level. She also targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi and talked about the national Opposition alliance.
“So far we have not given much importance to panchayats. Now you see that people’s opinions have been sought. Opinions were sought two months ago. Don’t give money to anyone. We will not allow theft. If someone wants money, take his picture and send it to me. We will control panchayats from now on. Don’t let anyone steal it. We want people’s panchayats,” he said, adding that her party had stressed on putting up candidates with a clean record.
Banerjee also said that central government was denying the state funds for rural road development and the MGNREGA. “A person is going to Russia-America with billions of rupees. But the Centre has withheld 100 days of project money. He is not giving money despite repeated requests. The Centre did not pay Rs 7,000 crore for 100 days of work. The Trinamool will collect that money after winning the panchayat polls,” she said without naming Modi, who has returned after visiting the US and Egypt.
Banerjee accused the Border Security Force of trying to scare voters. “I have information that some BSF officials are visiting the border areas, threatening voters and asking them not to vote. I ask people not to be scared and to fearlessly participate in the elections,” she said.
“If the BSF scares you, inform police. Police will lodge FIRs and the law will take its own course,” she said, referring to the central force’s shooting last year of people who it said were smugglers.
Asserting that the TMC would defeat the BJP in the three-tier panchayat elections, the chief minister said, “After Panchayat elections, we will defeat the BJP at the Centre and have a development-oriented government in the country.”
She also said that in the state, her party would defeat the “BJP-CPM-Congress alliance”. “The CPI(M), Congress and the BJP have formed an alliance here. Defeat them. We will have a grand alliance in Delhi. Here we will fight against the BJP. We will defeat the BJP, the CPM and the Congress,” she added.
After the 2021 Assembly elections, many TMC leaders including heavyweights such former education minister Partha Chatterjee and Birbhum district chief Anubrata Mondol were arrested on corruption charges. There have been allegations of corruption at the grassroots level also.
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