Mamata Banerjee returns PM Modi fire: ‘We arrested our men. In Unnao, what did you do?'
Times of India | 8 March 2024
KOLKATA: Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday returned PM Narendra Modi's Sandeshkhali fire and questioned the BJP's role in Unnao, Hathras and Manipur on safeguarding women's rights.
Banerjee's rebuttal came during a Trinamool rally a day ahead of International Women's Day, a day after Modi appealed to Bengal's women to vote for BJP, citing Sandeshkhali as a reason for voting against Trinamool.
"We had the courage to arrest Trinamool workers. What have you done in Unnao, Hathras and Manipur? Have you forgotten Bilkis Bano? BJP leaders on Wednesday claimed women were tortured most in Bengal. I challenge you: Bengal is the safest place for women," Banerjee said, addressing a meeting at Esplanade, following her 40-minute march from College Square.
Among the marchers on Thursday were 150 women who came from Sandeshkhali to walk with the CM, and later spoke to TOI (see ). At least one of them was invited to speak on the dais.
We have taken action the moment we learned about the unwanted incidents," CM Mamata Banerjee said, addressing the Sandeshkhali issue. "We have taken action against our own workers when allegations were raised against them."
Terming angry BJP leaders attacking Bengal as "Pinto babu" (from the 1980 Naseeruddin Shah-starrer 'Albert Pinto Ko Gussa Kyoon Aata Hai'), Banerjee wondered why they were so angry with "Bengal ki beti (women of Bengal)". "I am proud of women in Bengal who at least know how to speak up and put up resistance. You talk about women empowerment and 'Nari ka samman'. But Sakshee (Sakshee Malikkh, Olympic medal-winner) is the perfect example of the attitude your party has towards women, as the MP, accused of sexually assaulting female wrestlers, was made president of the Wrestling Federation of India," she stressed.
The CM and TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee led the 2.8km walk on Thursday from College Square to Esplanade, all under the North Kolkata parliamentary constituency - walking barely 300 metres past the home of Tapas Roy, the TMC leader who defected to BJP on Wednesday and is likely to contest for BJP. While Banerjee didn't name Roy, she said some people were leaving TMC, fearing ED raids. "I know some gaddars (traitors) are calling them up, asking them to come to the BJP to make everything okay."
Advertised as a rally to celebrate International Women's Day, the CM explained that the march was held a day earlier as Friday coincided with Shivratri, when a lot of Hindu women fast. The walk began around 2.35pm from the College Street crossing with the CM leading the walk with her party's top women - Chandrima Bhattacharya, Shashi Panja, June Maliah, Nayana Bandyopadhyay, Mala Roy, Dola Sen, Sagarika Ghose, Susmita Dev and others.
Abhishek walked in a cluster behind the CM as the rallyists - around 5,000-odd - walked along Nirmal Chandra Street and S N Banerjee Road to reach Esplanade at 3.15pm. He, however, did not make a speech.