Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Monday defended her party leaders who have been arrested after their names cropped up in a series of corruption cases and attacked the Centre and the BJP for what she said was a malicious campaign against her party.
TMC leaders Partha Chatterjee and Anubrata Mondal have been arrested by central agencies in connection with corruption cases.
On allegations against her cabinet colleagues and party leaders, Banerjee said in Bengali: “Chairey boshe achhi, tai bolte parbo na. Na hole boltam, jara amader namey mithye rotachhe, tader jiv tene chhire din. (I am sitting on the chair [of the chief minister]. Otherwise, I would say rip off the tongue of those who are spreading canards against us).”
She was speaking at a mega rally in Kolkata commemorating the foundation day of Trinamool Congress Chhatra Parishad, the TMC’s student wing.
She defended her party leaders Partha Chatterjee, Firhad Hakim, and Anubrata Mandal. “Partha chor, Boby (Hakim) chor, Anubrata chor, ami chor, Arup, Chandrima Abhishek sobai chor ar tomra sobai sadhu (Partha is thief, Boby (Hakim) is thief, Anubrata is thief, I am thief, Arup, Chandrima, Abhishek all are thieves and you (the BJP) all are saints),” she said.
She also advised her party workers not to believe in media reports and television channels and claimed they are sold out to the BJP. She said, “If you see, tomorrow television is saying Boby (Hakim) has huge property. Don’t believe them. If they arrest Boby tomorrow, then, you should understand that all is arranged.”
On PIL against her family members
Talking about the PIL filed by advocate Tarunjyoti Tiwari Monday for details about properties owned by her and her family members, Banerjee said: “We are two sisters and six brothers. All are settled separately. All have their own families and own earnings. We have no connection with each other. We only assemble during the time of Rakshabandhan, Bhaifonta, Durga Puja and other festivals.”
“I used to get a pension of Rs 1 lakh per month as I was a member of Parliament. But, I never took that pension. As I am the chief minister and MLA, I am getting at least Rs 3.5 lakh per month but that also, I never took. I wrote many books. I used to earn huge money from my book’s royalty. You can go to book fairs and survey that; my book is the best seller. That is not my fault. Why I am selling books; that is also their (BJP) jealousy,” she said.
“I came to politics to serve the society. I did not enter politics to steal. Mamata Banerjee never bows her head in front of anything… Even if I am sent to jail, my message will spread across,” she added.
“Across India, if there is one party which is honest, then it is Trinamool Congress. It has its ideology and goals. Cyclone or flood may come but it will go after some time and then you have to come out in the street and fight against that.”
‘You will become zero’
Since a July 21 rally, Banerjee has maintained that the BJP will not get a majority in the 2024 general election. “You dislodged the Maharashtra government, tried to topple the Jharkhand government but I stopped that by taking custody of three MLA (Congress). You are now trying to topple the Bengal government. But you lost in Bihar. One by one you will lose everything. You will become zero,” she said Monday.
She also questioned the BJP over alleged horse-trading. “How much money have you used to topple these governments?” she asked.
“Today you are slandering me, tomorrow when you will be removed from power, I will clap. We also know where your money is hidden,” she said. “Rajiv Gandhi also lost. Indira Gandhi was powerful but then she was also defeated. You will also be zero very soon,” she added.
On CBI and ED, Bilkis Bano case
Mamata Banerjee also warned central agencies like the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED). According to her, “You (ED, CBI) are calling my IPS officers to Delhi. I am aware of your misdeeds. If you call our officers to Delhi then, I will also take legal action against you.”
Referring to cash seizure in connection with the school-job scam, in which former education minister Partha Chatterjee was arrested by the ED recently, she said: “You are showing money to the media. When you are taking money, would you show it to the media?”
She also announced that her party would start a movement against the remission of the sentence of the convicts in the Bilkis Bano case.
“You (the BJP) are always talking about ‘beti’, ‘beti ka pyar’ but you should be ashamed as these culprits are getting bail,” Banerjee said. “I would say to our women wing that you will sit in front of the Mahatma Gandhi statue for 48 hours demanding the arrest of the convicts in the Bilkis Bano case,” she added.
