Kotulpur, : West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee has accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of being a “tolabaj (extortionist), having forcefully taken people’s money by imposing demonetisation”.
Addressing a public meeting here in Bishnupur Lok Sabha constituency last night, Ms Banerjee said, “Narendra Modi comes here and calls me a ‘tolabaj’ (extortionist). Such audacity!”
“We say TMC stands for ‘Temple, Mosque, Church’ (unity in diversity). And he calls us ‘tolabaj’. We want to know, how much money did he mop up as a ‘tolabaj’ through demonetisation, money which the people had saved with their blood and tears?,” she asked.
“Often people ask me – which is more dangerous, a storm or Narendra Modi? I always answer, Narendra Modi, because he brings bigger destruction than the worst storm does,” the TMC supremo commented.
“People are so scared of Modi all the time. We want peace, not war and destruction. Therefore, Modi must be removed from power.,” Ms Banerjee said.
The chief minister said, ” Several times over the last five years, she had gone to Modi and asked for monetary aid for Bengal. He never acceded. And now, sensing an opportunity to further his own agenda, he came here after the cyclone, and held a meeting, and expected her to be there. ”
The TMC supremo said she has no time for photo ops with him.
“Where were you when the cyclone came? I was at the spot, braving the storm, and you were in Delhi,” Ms Banerjee remarked.
“You come here now and ask the chief secretary to meet you for a meeting, overriding me, under whom the chief secretary works,” the chief minister said.
“I don’t have the time to attend photo-ops with you. When I really needed you to help me, you didn’t – during the floods in 2012, 2015 and 2017, and several other times. You didn’t give me any funds. You never helped me. And now you come here to show your fake kindness. I won’t beg for money,” she commented.
“And how will the prime minister give money anyway? His term is over. Therefore, he is an ‘expiry prime minister’. Hence, he doesn’t have the power to give us money either,” the TMC supremo remarked.
“He comes here and tells people that Trinamool won’t even win 10 seats. I say, it is you who won’t get even 10. We will win 42 out of 42,” the chief minister said.
Ms Banerjee said, ” People don’t fear great leaders and great people. But people fear Modi, because of the riots he instigated while being the Chief Minister of Gujarat. He has also taken away the people’s rights everywhere. Therefore too, the people are scared of him. ”
“With ‘jhanda’ in one hand and ‘danda’ on the other, the ‘panda’ of the BJP rule the people with fear, to keep them ‘thanda’, ” she commented.
“We are ready to give our lives but will not let the BJP divide Bangla using riots.,” the chief minister said.
The TMC supremo said, ” Five years ago, Narendra Modi asked for your votes, and in return, he
would give each one of you Rs 15 lakh. He had said that demonetisation would result in the extinguishing of black money. ”
“But neither has happened; on the other hand, people have lost jobs. And whatever little people here have saved in banks would be lost if Modi is voted back to power. And there are not even enough banks here; our government has to work with the help of cooperative banks,” she said,
Ms Banerjee said prices of fuels, cooking gas, cable TV subscription, etc. have increased by big amounts.
The chief minister alleged, ” Over the last few years, 12,000 farmers have committed suicide. In the name of ‘achhe din’, the BJP has imposed demonetisation, increased the prices of diesel and petrol, make people lose jobs, set up syndicates and kill people in the name of cow protection, created lynching syndicates, taken everything away from the people, and divided the country up by instigating riots, starting wars and killing people. The BJP has no other work. ”
“Narendra Modi, you have to answer the people. You have never stood beside the people here. And now, just before the election, you come here, asking for votes,” the TMC supremo remarked.
(UNI)
