Biswabrata Goswami
HALDIA/KHEJURI, 20 MARCH: Trinamul Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee on Saturday paid BJP back in its own coin, terming it the ‘biggest extortionist’ in the world.
“BJP is the biggest ‘tolabaz’ (extortionist) in the world… Just see the amount of money it collected under the PM Cares Fund,” said Miss Banerjee while addressing an election rally in Haldia.
Tolabaz has become synonymous with the Trinamul Congress as the BJP leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi have been accusing the TMC of cultivating a culture of cut-money, corruption and tolabazi (extortionism) in the state.
To defend the allegations charged by the saffron party, Trinamul supremo lambasted on the BJP at an election campaign rally at Khejuri and said, “If a common man steals Rs 500 then he is called a ‘tolabaaz’. What do we call the BJP government who stole crores of Rupees? ‘Tolabaaz’s feudal landlord’?”
The CM also asked the saffron party to clear air over accusations related to demonetisation and PM Cares fund. “BJP must clear air over fate of demonetisation money, PM Cares funds,” said Miss Banerjee at Khejuri rally.
Hitting out at the Centre, the chief minister Miss Banerjee said, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi has destroyed the economy of this country- from note bandi to bank bandi. They will soon sell Haldia port.”
She added, “Is BJP a political party? It is a disgusting party in India. Even the BJP girls are not safe in their party. The evil deeds of their leaders will come out.”
TMC suprimo further alleged from Haldia rally, “In the name of PM Care Fund, lakh of crores got collected but people are not getting COVID-19 vaccine and the spread of Coronavirus has started again.”
Coming down heavily on the BJP-ruled Centre, Miss Banerjee alleged, “Industrialists know what your condition is. Every day, there’s an income tax raid, every day someone is raided. BJP can’t fight, they do not obey democracy, they threaten people. They torture mothers, sisters and take away farmers’ land.”
Confident of her win in the upcoming Assembly election, Miss Banerjee said, “It is not Delhi’s election, it is Bengal’s election and the TMC owns 222 seats here. Only my government will be formed in West Bengal.”
This came after Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a huge rally at Kharagpur in West Midnapore, where he said that, “Didi is standing like a wall in front of the development.”
Speaking at an election rally at Haldia in the East Midnapore district, Miss Banerjee also accused the saffron party of orchestrating riots, killing people and torturing Dalit girls.
She said, “If the people of West Bengal want peace and a state free from riots, then the Trinamul Congress is the only option.”
In an apparent jibe at the influential Adhikari family, Miss Banerjee once again said that she was relieved as “Mir Zafars” (traitors) have quit the party ahead of the upcoming assembly elections.
“Thank God, the ‘Mir Jafars’ (traitors) have left (TMC). I am relieved. It has saved us (the party). They never used to allow me to come to Khejuri, Nandigram or Kanthi whenever I wished to visit these places. As if this was their ‘zamindari’. Now, nobody can stop me from coming here,” Miss Banerjee said.