West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said Thursday that she had not “uttered a single word against students or their movement”, and alleged that there was a “malicious disinformation campaign” over a speech she had made on Wednesday.
“I detect a malicious disinformation campaign in some print, electronic and digital media, which has been unleashed with reference to a speech that I made in our students’ programme yesterday,” she said, referring to the speech she delivered Wednesday, on the occasion of the foundation day of the Trinamool Congress Chhatra Parishad – the party’s student wing.
“Let me most emphatically clarify that I have not uttered a single word against the (medical etc.) students or their movements. I totally support their movement. Their movement is genuine. I never threatened them, as some people are accusing me of doing. This allegation is completely false,” she said in Thursday’s X post.
She said it was the BJP that she was targeting, as they are “trying to create anarchy”.
“I have spoken against the BJP. I have spoken against them because, with the support of the Government of India, they are threatening the democracy in our state and trying to create anarchy. With support from the Centre, they are trying to create lawlessness, and I have raised my voice against them,” she said in the post.
Clarifying remarks she made in Wednesday’s speech, she said: “…The phrase (‘phonsh kara’) that I had used in my speech yesterday is a quote from Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa. The legendary saint had said that occasionally, there is a need to raise one’s voice. When there are crimes and criminal offences, the voice of protest has to be raised. My speech on that point was a direct allusion to the great Ramakrishnite saying.”
In the speech, Mamata had said: “Ami kakhono badla chaini… Aj bolchhi… jeta kora dorkar, seta apnara bhalo bujhe korben. Ami oshanti chai na… kintu je kutsa opoprochar kore apnake roj kamrachchhe, apni take kamraben na… Kintu phosh to korte paren… (I never wanted revenge. But now I’m saying…you will understand well what needs to be done. I don’t want trouble. Today, you will understand what needs to be done. The ugly, slanderous one that bites you every day – you don’t bite him, but you can hiss).”
The Chief Minister had also said on Wednesday that the West Bengal government was the only one to create “Rattirer Sathi” for doctors. She also requested striking junior doctors to return to their jobs. “The Supreme Court… empowered the state to take action (against doctors still on strike). I don’t want to do it. They should study well. If I file an FIR against someone, his or her life will be ruined, and will not get a passport or visa,” she had said.
“We did not take action when junior doctors were on strike across the country. That’s because I think their movement is justified. They want justice for their friend. But in Delhi, they filed an FIR against the doctors,” the CM said Wednesday.
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