Hummingbird News Desk
KOLKATA, 14 MARCH: Four days after suffering injuries, chief minister Mamata Banerjee, sitting in a wheelchair that was pushed by her security personnel, led a procession along a five kilometre route from Gandhi’s statue in the Maidan to the Hazra Road intersection, to pay her tributes to Nandigram martyrs, who were killed in police firing while conducting anti-farmland acquisition movement on 14 March in 2007.
With her leg in a cast, Miss Banerjee said, “Let good prevail over evil. Have faith in me. I will move around in Bengal with my broken leg. Let’s play. A wounded tiger is more dangerous than a dead tiger.”
She also said, “I have passed through many battles. But I have never bowed my head. I am in pain. The doctors prescribed bed-rest for 15 days. But if I take rest, who will reach out to the people of Bengal? In that case the conspirators will succeed,” Banerjee told a huge crowd at Hazra Park. A ramp was built beside the dais for her wheelchair.
Sending a clear message to the BJP before the procession started around 2 pm, Miss Banerjee tweeted, “We will continue to fight boldly! I’m still in a lot of pain, but I feel the pain of my people even more. In this fight to protect our revered land, we have suffered a lot and will suffer more but we will NEVER bow down to COWARDICE!”
She further wrote, “In memory of those who lost their lives in #Nandigram, we observe March 14 as #KrishakDibas every year and give away the #KrishakRatna awards. Farmers are our pride and our government is working for their all-round development.”
She also wrote, “As a mark of respect and encouraged by my brothers and sisters of Nandigram, I am contesting #BengalElection2021 as #AITCofficial candidate from this historic place. It is my great honour to be here and work along with members of Shaheed families against anti-Bengal forces.”
Miss Banerjee was injured in Nandigram on Wednesday evening when the door of her SUV slammed against her left foot. She alleged that four or five people in the crowd, that had surrounded the vehicle, deliberately pushed the door. Opposition leaders have accused Miss Banerjee of using the incident to gain political mileage.
“I am grateful to those who inquired about me. A pain in the heart is more severe than a pain in the body. The pain suffered by democracy is more crucial. One can’t rest when democracy is demolished. I have bruises all over me. I am thankful to the doctors. They will check me again. It is our responsibility to save democracy from autocratic forces,” Miss Banerjee added.
