Banerjee, who held a padyatra in Chopra and Islampur, days after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s Baharat Jodo Nyay Yatra passed through the same towns of West Bengal, said: “It is the TMC that is fighting for the rights of the people of the state. We must unite to defeat the Congress-CPI(M)-BJP nexus in Bengal.”
Banerjee’s remarks against Congress and CPI(M) came on a day when West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee chief Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury fired a fresh salvo at the TMC accusing it of “creating hurdles” in the Yatra’s way in Bengal and vowing to continue raising corruption issues.
Rahul’s Yatra is set to reenter West Bengal on Wednesday via Malda.
“If there is theft in West Bengal, shall I say it is not happening?… Can’t we call people involved in corruption corrupt,” Chowdhury, who has been accused by the TMC of straining the ties between the two parties, told mediapersons in Murshidabad.
“For the murder of Anish Khan (a youth in Howrah) no one was arrested. One has to approach the court. In the case of schoolteachers not getting their jobs, people went to court. In the case of not getting ration (ration scam), the court is now ordering CBI and ED probe,” Chowdhury said.
He also asked why Rahul was not being allowed to stay or hold rallies where he wanted in West Bengal. “We expected disruptions in the Yatra in Manipur and Assam, but not in Bengal. Who tore up our posters and placards for the Yatra? Who is taking down our hoardings and posters,” asked Chowdhury.
“In West Bengal, Rahul Gandhi cannot stay where he wants to. He doesn’t want to stay in a five-star hotel, but where everyone can stay. In Malda, they are doing this. In Murshidabad, we wanted to hold a rally inside a stadium. We wrote a letter seeking the stadium. But the District magistrate told me that he needs permission from above,” added Chowdhury.
“In Siliguri, we sought permission to hold a rally. Police officers said they needed permission from above and never called back,” said Chowdhury.
“If they (the ruling TMC) say that because of Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, hurdles are being placed in Rahul Gandhi’s Yatra, I will step back. If that is what it takes to have a smooth Yatra, I will do it,” the senior Congress leader added.
On Monday, the TMC chief’s nephew and party MP Abhishek Banerjee had accused the Congress of delaying the seat-sharing talks.
Abhishek had also come down heavily on Chowdhury for his comments against the TMC. “There is a limit to our patience. In the last six months, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury has only demanded President’s Rule in West Bengal. As the Congress Lok Sabha leader and PCC chief, he is challenging the TMC chairperson, while the Congress claims TMC is their most important ally.”
Reacting to Abhishek’s charge, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said his party’s doors were “still open” for the TMC to discuss seat sharing.
Meanwhile, in a sudden change in her schedule, Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday undertook a padayatra in Islampur and Chopra town of Uttar Dinajpur district. “The CM undertook padayatra as part of the TMC’s ‘Jonosanjog Yatra’ in Chopra town this morning. At present, she is in Islampur where she undertook another yatra. She spoke to the locals and greeted them,” PTI quoted a senior police officer as saying.
She will be undertaking another yatra from Karnajora to Raiganj, where she is scheduled to chair an administrative review meeting.
Speaking to reporters, Banerjee said her trip has been “very fruitful”, but refused to answer questions on Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’, which has passed through the region.
TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee had launched the ‘Jonosanjog Yatra’ in April last year, and traversed across the state over the next two months.— With PTI Inputs