News Analysis India

Tag: Mamata Banerjee

  • Prevent BJP from coming to power, let Bengal live in peace: Mamata

    Banerjee, also the Trinamool Congress supremo, claimed that her party will continue to rule the state.

  • Bengal polls: Mamata Banerjee says BJP’s rath yatra hurting people’s religious sentiments

    Express News Service
    KOLKATA: Slamming BJP’s rath yatra, CM Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday accused the saffron camp of hurting the religious sentiments by moving in a “five-star rath and enjoying non-veg food” on public money. 

    Explaining how the BJP is hurting the religious sentiment, she said rath means Lord Jagannath’s chariot.

    “People from other states come to Bengal only to create problems. They don’t know the culture of Bengal. They are here to play dirty politics. Nowadays, they are roaming around like gods and goddesses in a five-star rath. For us, rath means Lord Jagannath’s chariot. But BJP is hurting the religious sentiments by roaming in a five-star rath and enjoying non-veg food and biryani. They are not here to create Sonar Bangla but to make it a Dangar (riot) Bangla,” said Mamata, while addressing a rally in Raiganj in north Bengal’s North Dinajpur district.

    ALSO READ: BJP to unleash Rajnath, Adityanath to breach TMC citadel Birbhum

    BJP leaders such as Union Home minister Amit Shah and the party’s national president JP Nadda never miss an opportunity to promise the people of Bengal that they will turn the state into Sonar Bangla after wresting power in 2021 Assembly elections.

    Referring to the largescale exodus from her party to the BJP, the Bengal CM labelled the defectors as greedy and hedonist. “BJP can buy a few people. But I will not allow them to sell out Bengal. Those who are quitting the TMC are lobhi (greedy) and bhogi (hedonist). But tyagis (the one who sacrifices) will never sell themselves,” she said.

    ALSO READ: TMC MLA writes to Mamata, expresses inability to contest 2021 polls

    In an oblique reference to her former aide Suvendu Adhikari’s defection to the BJP, Mamata said, “I am happy that Trinamool Congress has got rid of one such lobhi. Today, I would like to announce that I will promote tyagis to serve the people of Bengal.”

  • Bengal polls: BJP leaders using Rath Yatra to divide society, says Mamata

    By PTI
    RAIGANJ: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday mocked BJP leaders for travelling on raths “as if they are gods”, and alleged that their political agenda is to create division in society on the basis of religion.

    She also accused the saffron party of resorting to lies about Hinduism.

    “Rath Yatra is a religious festival. All of us have participated in this festival. We know Lord Jagannath, Balaram and Goddess Subhadra travel in those chariots. But, the BJP leaders are using this Rath Yatra for their own political purposes to divide the society and pit one against the other. BJP leaders are travelling on raths as if they are gods,” she said, while addressing a rally in Raiganj.

    Reiterating her charge that BJP is bringing outsiders to the state for the assembly elections due in April-May, the TMC boss claimed that all they do is eat at houses of locals for a photo opportunity.

    “Some outsiders are coming in luxury cars and indulging in photo sessions to show they are having food at houses of villagers,” she said, alleging that the the food is brought from five-star hotels.

    “Bengal will be ruled by those from the state and not by people coming from Gujarat,” Banerjee asserted.

  • TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee says she is like Royal Bengal Tiger, cannot be intimidated by BJP

    By PTI
    BAHARAMPUR: West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday likened herself to a Royal Bengal Tiger, saying that she is not a weak person who can be intimidated by the BJP.

    Addressing a rally here in Murshidabad, the capital of Nawab Siraj-ud-Daullah’s empire, she also compared those who left the TMC to join the saffron party to Mir Jafar, a commander of his army who betrayed him in the Battle of Plassey against the British in 1757.

    “There is no reason to think I am weak, I am not a person to be afraid of anything. I am a strong person and will keep my head high as long as I live and till then I will live like a Royal Bengal Tiger,” Banerjee said.

    ALSO READ: Won’t let BJP turn Bengal into a crematorium, says Mamata Banerjee

    Accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of wrongly claiming at a BJP meeting in Haldia on Sunday that government employees in West Bengal do not get salaries properly, she alleged that it is the Centre which is selling off BSNL, SAIL and privatising the Railways and insurance companies.

    Banerjee also claimed that the Centre did not give any assistance to West Bengal for dealing with the devastation caused by cyclone Amphan last year, nor did it do anything to support the state to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic.

    Raking up the outsider issue, the TMC supremo claimed that the BJP is a party of Gujarat and Delhi, which is bringing in National Register of Citizens (NRC) and National Population Register (NPR).

    ALSO READ: Centre a ‘cruel government’; Gujarat will never rule Bengal, says TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee

    The state chief minister asserted that she will not allow these in West Bengal.

    “People from Gujarat will not rule Bengal, the Trinamool Congress will rule Bengal,” Banerjee said at the rally held ahead of the assembly elections in the state due in April-May.

    Claiming that corrupt people sell themselves off, she said that those who want to leave the TMC and join the BJP are free to go.

    ALSO READ: Sent names of 2.5 lakh Bengal farmers to Centre for PM Kisan scheme, says CM Mamata Banerjee

    Alleging that some people are joining the saffron party out of fear that they could be implicated in cases related to smuggling of cattle or coal, Banerjee said, “The BJP seems to be a washing machine, those having dirty hands emerge clean after joining it.”

    She also attacked the Congress and the Left which will contest the assembly polls jointly in the state.

    “The Congress cannot fight the BJP and does not want to do it. The CPI(M) is the BJP’s big friend,” she said, claiming that it is only the TMC which can take on the might of the saffron party in the state.

  • Won’t let BJP turn Bengal into a crematorium: Mamata Banerjee

    By PTI
    KALNA: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday alleged that the BJP-led government at the Centre was not disbursing funds under the PM-Kisan scheme to peasants in the state despite the TMC administration having sent the verified names of farmers to it.

    Accusing the BJP of falsely claiming that she is denying funds to the farmers, she said that the Trinamool Congress government in the state is giving Rs 5,000 each to peasants and has also arranged for free crop insurance.

    The chief minister had on Monday informed the Assembly that out of 6 lakh applications of farmers sent by the Centre for verification for payment of monetary assistance under PM Kisan Samman Nidhi, the state government has returned 2.5 lakh names following necessary work.

    The TMC supremo claimed at a public rally at Kalna in Purba Barddhaman district that peasants are facing atrocities during their agitation outside Delhi against the new farm laws.

    Accusing the BJP of resorting to lies about Hinduism, Banerjee said that her party does not preach division among people on the basis of religion.

    “The BJP has turned the country into a crematorium, but we will not allow the same to happen in Bengal,” she said, asserting that the TMC will win the assembly elections for the third consecutive term.

    Humayun Kabir, an IPS officer who resigned from his job a few days back, joined the TMC at the rally in the presence of the party supremo.

    Elections to the 294-member assembly are due in April-May.

  • Centre a ‘cruel government’; Gujarat will never rule Bengal, says TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee

    By PTI
    KOLKATA: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday slammed the Centre calling it “a cruel government” for its meagre advance to the state after Cyclone Amphan and said “Gujarat will never be able to rule Bengal”.

    Speaking on the last day of the concluding session of the 16th West Bengal assembly, Banerjee also took on the Opposition for criticising her vote-on-account and saying it was done with an eye on the polls.

    The fiesty Trinamool Congress supremo, who was speaking at the debate on the Rs 2.99 lakh crore vote-on- account presented by her, said even if it was so it was done for the welfare of the people and claimed that her party would return to power in the state in the coming assembly poll.

    “Even if it (the vote-on-account) is what the opposition is saying, where is the problem? It is for the welfare of the people. Some are saying we are there for a few days. We will be back with a huge mandate”, she asserted.

    To Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s criticism of her government during his visit to the state on Monday, Banerjee lashed out saying she has never seen asuch a “cruel” government as the one headed by him at the Centre.

    ALSO READ | Sent names of 2.5 lakh Bengal farmers to Centre for PM Kisan scheme: CM Mamata Banerjee

    “Now that polls are round the corner in West Bengal, it seems that there is nothing else for BJP but Bengal.

    In this election all its leaders and ministers are coming to places in the state of which they do not even know.

    “Gujarat will never be able to rule Bengal,” she said in an apparent reference to the visit of Modi and those by Amit Shah, who is scheduled to visit the state later this week.

    Criticising the BJP-led government at the Centre, she said the prime minister during his visit to the state after the devastating cyclone Amphan had announced a mere Rs 1000 crore.

    “That money too was given as advance. I have never seen such a cruel government. We had to spend more than Rs 2542 crore over and above the last budget to meet the situation due to Cyclone Amphan and COVID-19,” she said a presented a supplementary budget on it.

    On opposition’s allegations of mass corruption in the distribution of relief post-Amphan, she conceded that there may have been some errors but they were corrected.

    “Now that polls are round the corner in the state, it seems that there is nothing else for BJP but Bengal.

    In this election all its leaders and ministers are coming to places in the state which they do not even know of”.

    Banerjee said she will inaugurate a total 19 projects in the state on Monday and Tuesday at an investment of Rs 72200 crore and create employment oppurtunity for 3.2 lakh people.

    The session concluded after passing the clearing the vote-on-account, which was presented on February 5, and the supplemenatry budget.

    Banerjee took part in the photo session of the House, which was boycotted by the opposition BJP, Left and Congress members.

    Assembly employees took part in it.

  • Bengal is future investment destination of the world: CM Mamata Banerjee

    By PTI
    KOLKATA: Asserting that West Bengal is the future investment destination of the world, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday announced a host of infrastructure projects, which will entail investments to the tune of “Rs 72,000 crore and provide jobs to 3.29 lakh people”.

    She said 1.5 crore jobs will be created in the state over the next five years, maintaining that an equal number of employment opportunities have already been provided to people.

    “Bengal is the destination of the whole world for investment and employment,” she said, inaugurating a programme of the West Bengal Youth and Sports Department at Netaji Indoor Stadium here.

    ALSO READ | Sent names of 2.5 lakh Bengal farmers to Centre for PM Kisan scheme: CM Mamata Banerjee

    “A proposal of Rs 62,000-crore investment for Jangalmahal Industrial Town at Raghunathpur in Purulia has come forward,” Banerjee said.

    She also announced a 100-acre pharmaceutical park at Falta in South 24 Parganas, an industrial park at Budge Budge, a mega industrial park at Mekhliganj in Coochbehar and the fourth phase of Barjora Industrial Park in Bankura.

    Claiming that the state was developing in every sector, the chief minister said while there has been a 40-per cent increase in joblessness in the country, in West Bengal, poverty “has reduced by 40 per cent”.

    “Those who come here and dish out lies, should know these facts which have been provided in Government of India records,” the chief minister added.

    Banerjee also virtually inaugurated some infrastructure projects, including those of the Animal Resources Development Department and in the healthcare sector.

  • Sent names of 2.5 lakh Bengal farmers to Centre for PM Kisan scheme: CM Mamata Banerjee

    By PTI
    KOLKATA: A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi slammed the TMC dispensation for not implementing central schemes in West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday told the Assembly that her government has sent to the Centre names of 2.5 lakh farmers who are eligible for benefits under the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana.

    She sought to know why the Union government has not disbursed any cash benefit to the beneficiaries as yet.

    Banerjee told the House that the state government had received a list of six lakh applicants from the Centre for verification, of which 2.5 lakh names have been sent to the Centre for financial assistance under the central welfare programme.

    She also said that her government would float 19 industrial projects in the state, entailing an investment of Rs 72,200 crore, and create 3.29 lakh employment opportunities.

    The CM was responding to questions raised by the members of the House during a debate on a vote-on-account that she had presented on February 5.

    With state elections round the corner, Banerjee had presented a vote-on-account for Rs 2.

    99 lakh crore in the Assembly and made a slew of announcements, including a hike in the annual aid of farmers.

    The chief minister has increased the annual financial assistance, under the state government’s ‘Krishak Bandhu’ scheme, to Rs 6,000 from Rs 5,000, keeping in mind the interest of farmers.

    She said that benefits of the central scheme should be made available to the sharecroppers, along with support provided by the state to all cultivators, irrespective of their landholdings.

    Under the PM Kisan scheme, Rs 6,000 per year in three equal instalments is provided to small and marginal farmer families having a combined landholding of up to two hectares.

    Addressing a rally in Haldia on Sunday, the prime minister had assailed the state government for not implementing central schemes like Ayushman Bharat and PM Kisan Samman Nidhi.

    He asserted that once the BJP forms its government in the state, it will take steps to implement all such stalled programmes at the very first cabinet meeting.

  • TMC reacts to PM Narendra Modi barb, tells him to show ‘Mamta’ to farmers

    By PTI
    KOLKATA: The ruling TMC in West Bengal on Sunday slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his hard-hitting comments against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and urged him to soften his stand on the ongoing stir against farm laws and show some “Mamta” (compassion) towards agitating farmers.

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the day made a scathing attack at the TMC government, saying it has “criminalised politics, institutionalised corruption and politicised the police” and said the people of the state expected ‘Mamta’ from Mamata Banerjee but got ‘nirmamta’ (cruelty) instead in the last ten years.

    Reacting to Modi’s barb, Senior TMC MP and spokesperson Saugata Roy said the people of Bengal would show the BJP “Red card during the elections”.

    “Instead of blaming Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the Prime Minister should soften his stand on farmers issue and show some ‘Mamta’ towards the agitating farmers, who are protesting for the last 70 days.

    “So many farmers have died, but we could not see Modiji’s ‘Mamta’. When so many people died during demonetisation in 2016, we did not see any ‘Mamta’ from him. The less he talks about ‘Mamta’, the better it will be,” Roy said.

    While speaking about PM Modi claiming that “people will show ‘Ram Card’ as the TMC government has committed several fouls”, he said the people of Bengal would show “red card to the BJP in the assembly polls”.

    Referring to allegations that Banerjee lost her cool after hearing “Bharat Mata ki Jai” slogans, he said these are baseless allegations.

    “Mamata Banerjee has never lost her cool on hearing ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’ slogans. It was when political-religious slogans such as ‘Jai Shri Ram’ are raised she gets angry. It is completely justified,” he said.

    Senior TMC leader and MP Sukhendu Sekhar Roy said when Uttarakhand’s people are battling calamity, PM Modi was busy doing politics in West Bengal.

    The CPI(M) leadership denied the allegations of “match-fixing” between them and the TMC and said it is the Trinamool Congress that has helped the saffron party grow in Bengal.

    “Why are both the TMC and the BJP bothered about the CPI (M)? Both have said that the Left has ceased to exist in Bengal.

    “The Left has never compromised with the TMC in Bengal, it is the BJP which had an alliance with the Trinamool Congress till a few years back,” CPI(M) Legislative party leader Sujan Chakraborty said.

  • Didi gets annoyed with ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ slogan, says PM Modi in Bengal

    By ANI
    PURBA MEDINIPUR: Asserting that some conspirators are trying to tarnish India’s image associated with tea and yoga, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday asked whether West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has spoken anything about these conspirators.

    “There are some conspirators who are trying to destroy India’s image associated with tea and yoga–that was made famous by innumerable Indians across the world. There is a conspiracy to discredit and destroy the hard work of tea workers. Yoga, the legacy of India which was promoted by great men such as Maharishi Aurobindo and Vivekananda selflessly, is being attacked now,” Prime Minister Modi said at a public meeting in Haldia area of Purba Medinipur district in West Bengal.

    “Has Didi spoken anything about these conspirators? The country will answer such conspiracies with full might. In Bengal, if you ask didi (Mamata Banerjee) about your rights, then she gets frustrated. She even gets annoyed if slogans of Bharat Mata Ki Jai are raised. But she does not get angry at people who speak against the country,” he said.

    ALSO READ | Some forces seated abroad conspiring against India, not sparing even Indian tea: PM Modi

    PM Modi said the politics in the state is responsible for the current state of West Bengal as there has not been developmental politics in the state which thwarted its growth.

    “All industries and infrastructure in Bengal today need transformation and modernisation. How many factories have been opened in the last 10 years? What happened to the steel plant? The region got opportunities and there was no competition. I want to put a question to the people of West Bengal: Your state was developed even during British rule. The state of infrastructure was stronger compared to the rest of the nation. Bengal has always shown the way to the nation. Why then, Bengal lost its pace of development?” he said.

    Lashing out at the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government, PM Modi said, “In the first year of Mamata Government, it became clear that what West Bengal had got was not ‘parivartan’ but the revival of the left and that too with interest. The revival of the left meant the revival of corruption, crime, violence, and attacks on democracy.”

    Commenting upon the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), PM Modi said, “TMC has criminalised politics, institutionalised corruption and politicised administration and police. Bengal wants to ask TMC why are they admitting people in their party who shot at poor people and farmers in Nandigram?”

    TMC is responsible for misgovernance, violence, corruption and attacks on beliefs, he said. People of Bengal are watching and soon Bengal is going to show the Ram Card to the TMC, he added.

    PM Modi said in Bengali language that he “feels blessed to be able to visit the holy land of Midnapore.”