Didi adds to protest list for more support - Flight delay and army thrown into the mix

TT, Dec. 2: Mamata Banerjee seems to be widening the scope of her anti-demonetisation campaign against the BJP-led Centre, weaving in conspiracy theories around the delayed landing of her flight from Patna on Wednesday and the deployment of the army at some toll plazas in Bengal.

Trinamul sources said that by adding layers to her movement against demonetisation, the Bengal chief minister was "steadily generating more support" from other Opposition parties, even those that have remained inert, and sharpening her attack on the Narendra Modi government.

Trinamul opened a fresh flank on Wednesday by alleging a possible plot to assassinate Mamata after her flight made a delayed landing. Yesterday, the issue took Parliament by storm, with Opposition leaders, including CPM MPs, expressing concern over passenger safety in general and Mamata's safety in particular.

Last evening, Mamata launched another attack on the Centre over the deployment of the army at toll plazas. She stayed the night at Nabanna in protest, hinting that this could be another instance of the Centre getting back at her for the anti-demonetisation movement. She left the state secretariat this evening after spending around 30 hours there.

"It has now become a three-pronged attack," a Trinamul Lok Sabha MP said.

"There was a bit of a difficulty in getting everyone opposed to the implementation of the demonetisation drive under one umbrella, essentially because she had been at the forefront. But surprisingly, we got support from all Opposition quarters after these two issues were added to the mix," said a Trinamul Rajya Sabha MP.

Yet another line of attack was introduced when Mamata accused the Centre of violating the federal structure by seeking information on revenue collection by the Calcutta Municipal Corporation between November 15, 2015, and November 16, 2016, directly from the civic body by bypassing the state government.

The Trinamul sources said Mamata's latest round of protests followed a pattern. "This is how she has always built mass movements, stitching together several issues to amplify the impact and widen the support base," a source said.

Some cited the example of the Singur-Nandigram movements in 2006-2008. They said Mamata had started with her anti-land acquisition movement in Singur and then kept up the heat on the then Left government in Bengal by organising back-to-back protests over the Nandigram police firing, Rizwanur Rahman's death and the Sachar Committee report on the plight of Muslims.

In Parliament today, Trinamul alleged a "sinister" ploy behind the army deployment, a charge the Centre denied.

The Congress and the BSP joined Trinamul in Parliament and demanded answers on how the exercise was carried out without taking the state into confidence. Most Opposition parties sided with Trinamul and raised slogans such as " tanashahi nahi chalegi(dictatorship will not go on)".

In Calcutta, Trinamul ministers and MLAs marched to Raj Bhavan from the Assembly, protesting the army deployment.

"Democracy is under threat from the Centre," said Trinamul secretary-general Partha Chatterjee.

While leaving Nabanna, Mamata said legal action would be considered if the army was not withdrawn from other areas in Bengal. The contingent at the Vidyasagar toll plaza had left after midnight.

"We have great respect for the army. But the manner in which they are being used for political vendetta is sad," she said. "We have never seen such arrogance by the Centre."

In Delhi, BJP ministers accused Mamata of indulging in "cheap political stunts" and venting her "political frustration".

"It was very unfortunate that the army was dragged into this unnecessarily," defence minister Manohar Parrikar said. "It was political frustration rather than projection of the correct situation".

Outside Parliament, information and broadcasting minister Venkaiah Naidu said: "This is nothing but a cheap political stunt to defame the government and drag the army into an unnecessary controversy where none exists. It is highly deplorable."

In the Lok Sabha earlier in the day, Trinamul MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay demanded the immediate withdrawal of the army. He said if the personnel were not withdrawn, "we will have reason to believe that there is motivation behind all this and the federal structure is going to be challenged".

Parrikar said the exercise was "routine" and that was being carried out in coordination with the local police.