KOLKATA: Feeling snubbed by the direct order of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) for an NIA probe into the Bardhaman blasts despite strong opposition from the ruling Trinamool Congress and the BJP’s scathing attack on the party, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said it reminded her of “the Emergency days”.
Since the TMC was against the probe by the Central agency into the October 2 blasts in which Bangladeshi terrorists were involved, the state BJP called it a “party of anti-nationals” and accused it of “aiding international terror groups”.
The BJP and other Opposition parties too kept on demanding a statement from Mamata with state BJP president Rahul Sinha alleging, “It is now established that the TMC has links with terrorists belonging to the Jamaat of Bangladesh and its workers were involved in terror acts.”
Mamata, who had remained silent all along, attacked the BJP through a post on her Facebook page on Wednesday.
“Surprisingly, now-a-days, it is noticed that the BJP, through its different networks, is continuously engaged in making irresponsible comments, unparliamentary utterances and persistent character assassination, where even women are not spared.”
“Such arrogance and irresponsible conduct remind us of the Emergency days. I do not want to see deterioration and demolition of the beauty of democracy,” she wrote.
Challenging the saffron brigade, Mamata said, “My political life is full of struggles and sacrifices. I was about to be killed on several occasions. I believe in fighting battle politically, not through character assassination. Even then, if someone wants to confront me, let them try.”
Without naming any BJP leader, she said, “One first needs to behave himself and then guide others. While tolerance is praiseworthy, it should not be misunderstood as weakness. Sometimes, speech is silver, but silence is golden. So let us first behave properly for the greater interest of the country and people at large.”
After coming under attack for allegedly shielding terrorists, the TMC leaders had been repeatedly saying, “We need not learn patriotism either from the BJP or the CPM”. After the October 10 NIA probe order, Mamata had said, “Ever since the new government has come to power at the Centre, there is an increasing trend of interference by the Centre in state matters. “This practice is unprecedented, undemocratic and unethical,” she had said.