BJP played same card in Darjeeling, Tripura: Mamata Banerjee

TNN | Mar 9, 2018, KOLKATA: Chief minister Mamata Banerjee steamed up all the regional parties against BJP that she said was joining hands up with separatist forces. “BJP played the role in Tripura that it did in Darjeeling. They backed those who were demanding Gorkhaland. They played the same card in Tripura,” she said, adding that Bengal would be a tough ground for BJP.

While Trinamool workers battled with BJP supporters at Rashbehari to get access to the defaced Syama Prasad Mookerjee’s statue at Keoratalla, the CM said: “We don’t support defacing or pulling down statues of leaders. It is an act of handful of Maoists who are trying to malign Bengal’s image. The government has taken strong action against them. I want to know if the culprits have been arrested in Tripura,” the CM said drawing sharp reactions from BJP leader Locket Chatterjee. “Our Didi seems more disturbed with the Left debacle in Tripura than the CPM itself,” Chatterjee said.

Mamata then urged all regional parties to jointly protest against BJP’s “machinations”. “They are engaging the BSF to distribute money in the border areas. They are also engaging central agencies — CBI, ED to muzzle the dissenting voice. CPM has succumbed under pressure. But we won’t bow to the BJP threat. If they target Bengal, we will target Red Fort,” she said. Her thrust on regional parties spoke for her networking with non-Congress regional party leaders. Even as Trinamool seniors claimed that Didi has not deleted Congress from the anti-BJP front, the party isn’t willing to recognise Congress as the Big Brother in the alliance any more.

Mamata then appealed to the women present at the Mayo Road gathering to ensure BJP’s defeat in 2019. “Duhajar Unish, BJP hobe finish(BJP will lose in 2019). You alone can do that. The BJP government is showcasing the Beti Bachhao Beti Padhao scheme for girls. The total allocation is Rs 1,500 when the state’s allocation for Kanyashree programme is Rs 5,000 crore. Ask them when BJP leaders come to you for votes,” she said.