KOLKATA: Sharpening her attacks on the BJP, West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee on Sunday alleged that the saffron party would impose restrictions on people’s dietary choices if it comes to power in the state in the upcoming Assembly elections.
Her remarks came a day after Union Home Minister Amit Shah released a ‘chargesheet’ against the ruling Trinamool Congress government.
Addressing an election rally in Manbazar in Purulia district, Banerjee said, “People will not be able to eat fish, meat and eggs as per their dietary preferences if the BJP comes to power in the state. BJP has already banned these in states where it rules. Who are you to restrict people’s food choices?”
“All these food items are rich in protein, and your health will deteriorate if such restrictions are imposed. Will you also decide what musical instruments, drums, harmoniums, whistles, guitars, sitars, I should play?” she added.
She further said that Amit Shah should himself be “chargesheeted for his past deeds”.
Banerjee also alleged that if the BJP comes to power, it would discontinue the ‘Lakshmir Bhandar’ scheme.
She claimed that 1.2 crore voters’ names had been deleted from the electoral rolls following the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) ahead of the polls.
The Chief Minister also alleged political provocation behind the recent violence in Murshidabad’s Raghunathganj during a Ram Navami procession and criticised the Election Commission for transferring police officers ahead of the elections.
Later, she addressed another rally in Raipur in Bankura district, reiterating similar allegations against the BJP and the poll panel.
On Saturday, Amit Shah, while releasing a ‘chargesheet’ against the Mamata Banerjee-led government, launched a sharp attack on the ruling party.
He said the upcoming elections in West Bengal were not just a state-level contest but also crucial for the country’s security, accusing the state government of allowing infiltration.
“Mamata didi always plays the victim card during elections. Sometimes she talks about ‘fractured legs’ or ‘head injuries’, and sometimes she blames the Election Commission. But the people of Bengal now understand this victim-card politics,” Shah said at a press briefing in Kolkata.