While the CM made the statement during a public meeting in Jalpaiguri district on Tuesday, the PM addressed a rally at Raiganj in Uttar Dinajpur district.
Addressing the gathering, Mamata said “BJP leaders after seeing a Sikh call him Khalistani, term a Muslim Pakistani. If anyone eats fish, even then BJP has a problem. Who are you to decide what we will eat or wear?”
In February this year, an FIR was lodged against a group of BJP leaders for allegedly calling an IPS officer “Khalistani”. The incident occurred when the BJP leaders were trying to visit Sandeshkhali and were stopped by the police due to imposition of prohibitory orders in the area.
“Everyone has their own customs and traditions but they will erase our diversity. They will decide everything for you – including what to eat and wear. People might not be allowed to speak their minds. There will be no elections in the country, there will be no federal structure or Constitution, and only the Modi government will remain if they come to power,” she said.
Talking about the BJP’s manifesto for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, the TMC chief said, “The BJP manifesto vindicated my stand. I had predicted earlier that the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) is the head of the fish, the National Register of Citizens (NRC) is the tail, and the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) is the gut. If the BJP comes to power, everyone’s identity and liberty will be in danger – be it Tapashilis, Adivasis, Rajbangshis, Matuas, Kamtapuris, minorities, Hindus, or other indigenous communities.”
The chief minister hit out at BJP leaders over claims that the party would discontinue TMC’s flagship scheme ‘Lakshmir Bhandar’ after the Lok Sabha elections. “I read in the newspaper that the BJP has threatened to stop the Lakshmir Bhandar scheme. I dare them to do that. They will never be able to do that.”
Launched in 2021, ‘Lakshmir Bhandar’ is a flagship scheme of the TMC-led government and provides financial assistance to underprivileged women.
She also criticised the Election Commission of India (ECI) for not granting her government the permission to build houses for those displaced by the recent storms in Jalpaiguri. At least five people were killed and over 200 were rendered homeless, after a sudden storm and heavy rain wreaked havoc in the district and its surrounding areas on March 31.
“Since the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) is in place in view of the Lok Sabha elections, we were not permitted by the BJP’s commission to provide houses to those who lost their homes in the storm. We had written multiple letters to ECI requesting clearance to give the affected families Rs 1.20 lakh under the Banglar Bari scheme so that they could get houses,” she added.
Mamata accused the BJP-led Centre of stopping funds for the state under welfare schemes like the PM Awas Yojana and the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA).
“The people of north Bengal and Jangalmahal voted for the BJP but they blocked funds for MGNREGA and PM Awas Yojana (for the state) for three years. Why should people vote for the BJP when 18 of their MPs went to Delhi to request a fund blockade against Bengal…People have the right to respond through the power of vote. BJP’s activities must be shut down so that it doesn’t come to power again and seizes Bengal’s rights,” the CM said.
She alleged that the BJP was “looting” the people and “acting as mafia”. “They are the biggest thieves. Only those who have a lot of money are going to the BJP fearing ED, CBI, and Income Tax action. This is why BJP-CBI and BJP-ED are bhai bhai. The BJP is looting the people of the country and acting as mafia. They are acting as pickpockets who steal from other people and lob allegations at others to deflect attention. The PM came to hold a public meeting in Cooch Behar but said nothing about the pain of Jalpaiguri and Mainaguri. These migratory birds do nothing all year round; it is only the Trinamool Congress that stands by the people,” said Mamata.
Meanwhile, TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee also hit out at the PM over his “fish” remark. “He is saying those who eat fish are desh virodhi and anti-Hindu. We eat fish, are we anti-Hindu or desh virodhi? If Nisith Pramanik (BJP candidate from Cooch Behar) wins from here, as directed by Mr Modi, they (BJP) will ban Fish and stop Lakshmir Bhandar,” said the TMC MP while addressing a rally in north Bengal.