Express News Service
KOLKATA: Launching a scathing attack on the BJP over the issues of violence and parading two disrobed women in Manipur, Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee on Friday said the saffron party’s ‘Beti Bachao’ scheme has now turned into ‘Beti Jalao’ (Burn our daughters).
Speaking at Trinamool Congress’ (TMC) annual event, Mamata dubbed the BJP as ‘merchants of terror’ who quickly send central teams to Bengal at the drop of a hat and questioned why no such team was sent to Manipur despite the ongoing ethnic violence claiming 160 lives.
“The ‘merchants of terror’ are sending central teams to Bengal, but why aren’t central teams being sent to Manipur? BJP leaders in Bengal openly claim they would impose Presidents’ Rule in Bengal; why isn’t the same happening in Manipur?” she questioned.
Criticising the BJP for its inaction on violence against women, the TMC supremo claimed that women voters will throw the saffron party out of politics in 2024.
“BJP’s Beti Bachao campaign has now turned into Beti Jalao in reality. In Bilkis Bano’s case, the accused were released on bail. In the wrestler’s case, the same thing happened. They are looting women’s modesty. Who are these women? They are our mothers, sisters and daughters. The women of the country will throw you out of the politics in the 2024 elections,” she said.
Mamata said she spoke with Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and will hold dialogues with all the chief ministers of ‘INDIA’ (Indian National Development Inclusive Alliance) over a joint visit to Manipur.
Criticising the Prime Minister for indulging in “whataboutery, instead of condemning the Manipur violence”, Banerjee said the PM is wrongly equating Manipur violence with incidents in other states.
“So many people died in a Namami Gange project site. We didn’t say anything. But while reacting to the torture of two women in Manipur, you mentioned names of other states including Bengal and Rajasthan. I want to ask Modiji did the incident not hurt you even a little? You point fingers at West Bengal but don’t you have love for sisters and mothers? For how long daughters will be burnt, Dalits, and minorities will be killed? We will not leave Manipur. Northeastern sisters are our sisters,” she added.
‘CPI(M) is allergic to me’
Meanwhile, Mamata also hit out at the CPI(M), one of TMC’s allies in the 26-member Opposition bloc ‘INDIA’ which decided to take on the BJP-led NDA in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Though her tone against the Left party was not as tough as it was in previous years, Mamata claimed that the CPI(M) was allergic to her and raised concerns over the violence following the recently concluded panchayat polls in the state. However, she did not accuse the CPI(M) directly for the death of TMC workers.
“I feel sorry for the violence in the rural polls. Among the total victims of 29 persons killed in the rural poll violence, 18 are from the TMC. Who killed them? Did Trinamool kill Trinamool? My CPI(M) friends, you are always allergic to Mamata Banerjee. How many were killed in Buddhadebbabu’s (former Bengal CM) regime? In 2003, a total of 89 persons were killed and on the day of the rural polls in 2008, 39 persons were killed. It started during CPI(M)’s regime and we are facing its consequences,” said Mamata while addressing the TMC’s Martyr’s Day, an annual event to commemorate the killing of 13 people in police firing in 1993.
The TMC’s mega annual event came four days after she attended the meeting of opposition parties, which also included the CPI(M), in Bengaluru and it has served as a peek into the party’s roadmap for the next months left for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
The Bengal CM said the opposition’s alliance would organise multiple protests against the BJP under the banner of the front INDIA. “They want to sell our country. We want to save India. Let INDIA win, let BJP lose. This will be the only slogan for us in the 2024 elections. We will raise the Jay INDIA slogan along with Jay Bangla,” she said.
Mamata also seconded her nephew Abhishek Banerjee’s announcement that the TMC would stage a protest in Delhi on October 2 over the Centre’s decision not to clear the state’s dues under the scheme of 100-day job scheme. When Abhishek called for a mass-gherao programme at the houses of the BJP leaders at booth level on August 5, Mamata instructed to carry out the protest event at the block level and stage demonstrations 100 metres from the BJP’s leaders’ houses peacefully.
KOLKATA: Launching a scathing attack on the BJP over the issues of violence and parading two disrobed women in Manipur, Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee on Friday said the saffron party’s ‘Beti Bachao’ scheme has now turned into ‘Beti Jalao’ (Burn our daughters).
Speaking at Trinamool Congress’ (TMC) annual event, Mamata dubbed the BJP as ‘merchants of terror’ who quickly send central teams to Bengal at the drop of a hat and questioned why no such team was sent to Manipur despite the ongoing ethnic violence claiming 160 lives.
“The ‘merchants of terror’ are sending central teams to Bengal, but why aren’t central teams being sent to Manipur? BJP leaders in Bengal openly claim they would impose Presidents’ Rule in Bengal; why isn’t the same happening in Manipur?” she questioned.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });
Criticising the BJP for its inaction on violence against women, the TMC supremo claimed that women voters will throw the saffron party out of politics in 2024.
“BJP’s Beti Bachao campaign has now turned into Beti Jalao in reality. In Bilkis Bano’s case, the accused were released on bail. In the wrestler’s case, the same thing happened. They are looting women’s modesty. Who are these women? They are our mothers, sisters and daughters. The women of the country will throw you out of the politics in the 2024 elections,” she said.
Mamata said she spoke with Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and will hold dialogues with all the chief ministers of ‘INDIA’ (Indian National Development Inclusive Alliance) over a joint visit to Manipur.
Criticising the Prime Minister for indulging in “whataboutery, instead of condemning the Manipur violence”, Banerjee said the PM is wrongly equating Manipur violence with incidents in other states.
“So many people died in a Namami Gange project site. We didn’t say anything. But while reacting to the torture of two women in Manipur, you mentioned names of other states including Bengal and Rajasthan. I want to ask Modiji did the incident not hurt you even a little? You point fingers at West Bengal but don’t you have love for sisters and mothers? For how long daughters will be burnt, Dalits, and minorities will be killed? We will not leave Manipur. Northeastern sisters are our sisters,” she added.
‘CPI(M) is allergic to me’
Meanwhile, Mamata also hit out at the CPI(M), one of TMC’s allies in the 26-member Opposition bloc ‘INDIA’ which decided to take on the BJP-led NDA in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Though her tone against the Left party was not as tough as it was in previous years, Mamata claimed that the CPI(M) was allergic to her and raised concerns over the violence following the recently concluded panchayat polls in the state. However, she did not accuse the CPI(M) directly for the death of TMC workers.
“I feel sorry for the violence in the rural polls. Among the total victims of 29 persons killed in the rural poll violence, 18 are from the TMC. Who killed them? Did Trinamool kill Trinamool? My CPI(M) friends, you are always allergic to Mamata Banerjee. How many were killed in Buddhadebbabu’s (former Bengal CM) regime? In 2003, a total of 89 persons were killed and on the day of the rural polls in 2008, 39 persons were killed. It started during CPI(M)’s regime and we are facing its consequences,” said Mamata while addressing the TMC’s Martyr’s Day, an annual event to commemorate the killing of 13 people in police firing in 1993.
The TMC’s mega annual event came four days after she attended the meeting of opposition parties, which also included the CPI(M), in Bengaluru and it has served as a peek into the party’s roadmap for the next months left for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
The Bengal CM said the opposition’s alliance would organise multiple protests against the BJP under the banner of the front INDIA. “They want to sell our country. We want to save India. Let INDIA win, let BJP lose. This will be the only slogan for us in the 2024 elections. We will raise the Jay INDIA slogan along with Jay Bangla,” she said.
Mamata also seconded her nephew Abhishek Banerjee’s announcement that the TMC would stage a protest in Delhi on October 2 over the Centre’s decision not to clear the state’s dues under the scheme of 100-day job scheme. When Abhishek called for a mass-gherao programme at the houses of the BJP leaders at booth level on August 5, Mamata instructed to carry out the protest event at the block level and stage demonstrations 100 metres from the BJP’s leaders’ houses peacefully.
