Abhishek Banerjee renews pledge to fight for those 'deprived' by Modi government
Telegraph | 31 January 2024
Trinamul national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Tuesday renewed his pledge to fight for those "deprived" by the Narendra Modi government, underscoring the BJP's repeated attack on the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, named after the Father of the Nation who was assassinated on January 30, 1948.
"Today, it is tragic to witness the insult meted out to our workers through repeated reprehensible attacks on MGNREGS, a programme that bears his name. On Gandhiji's death anniversary, I solemnly pledge to persist in the noble struggle to protect the rights of the deprived," Abhishek wrote on X.
"The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others," Abhishek quoted Gandhiji before mounting the sharp attack on the BJP's policy.
A source said this comment of Abhishek, who led the movement in Delhi demanding dues under MGNREGS, assumes significance a day after chief minister Mamata Banerjee announced to sit for a dharna if the Centre did not give Bengal funds on or before February 1.
Trinamul had downplayed the funds issue for the past three months as political activities on the ground had come to a halt because of a purported conflict between the party's old guard and the newer lot.
"Yesterday (Monday), Didi reignited the issue and threatened to start a movement from February 2. Today (Tuesday), the party's No. 2 took the same line. We hope now the party will turn up with a stronger movement against central deprivation. The poor people of Bengal have started believing that the BJP government has been depriving the state," said a senior Trinamul leader.
Trinamul on Tuesday pitched the narrative to showcase how the BJP had been trying to dismantle the ideas of Gandhiji by depriving people and insulting women of the country. In places like Hooghly's Goghat, the party also organised a march against "deprivation" by the Modi government.
Trinamul's women's wing also organised 34 rallies across Bengal to protest against the BJP's alleged disrespect towards women.
"We held 34 rallies as a tribute to the Father of the Nation. We also used the day to protest against BJP's policy to disrespect women, especially the country's only woman chief minister Mamata Banerjee. We will continue to protest against all such wrongdoings of the BJP," said Chandrima Bhattacharya, the president of the Trinamul's women wing.
Trinamul had criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for "mocking" Mamata at a rally before the 2021 polls.