KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday said the central agencies and "ill-gotten money of the BJP" are being used to dislodge elected state governments run by parties that are opposed to the saffron camp. Amid corruption charges against the Trinamool Congress (TMC)-led government in West Bengal, the party supremo challenged the BJP to arrest her if they can.
Addressing a rally of her party's student wing Trinamool Chhatra Parishad, Banerjee said a malicious campaign has been unleashed against senior TMC leaders, including her, Firhad Hakim (popularly known as Bobby) and Abhishek Banerjee. "The BJP is branding everybody as thieves. They are campaigning in a way as if all of us in the TMC are thieves and only the BJP and its leaders are holy," she said.
"They (BJP) are talking about the money with TMC leaders. From where is the BJP getting thousands of crores to dislodge elected state governments in line of the Maharashtra model. The BJP is parking money abroad through hawala. The BJP has to be defeated in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls," the chief minister vowed.
She was apprehensive that the onslaught against Hakim might happen any time.
"The ED raids at the residence of Partha Chatterjee happened just a day after our historic Martyrs' Day rally on July 21 this year. And now after this rally, tomorrow ED or CBI might be at Bobby's doorsteps. In the case of Partha Chatterjee, I do not have anything to say. But remember if the same thing happens with Bobby, it will be a totally conspired move," the chief minister said.
"If Bobby is arrested, you can rest assured it will be a fake case, just to harass him," she added.
She also expressed similar apprehension regarding her nephew and TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee. "He has given a fiery speech here. Who can say that he and his wife will not receive a central agency notice tomorrow. This time if they summon him and his wife, I will ask them to take their two-year-old kid along with them to the agency office," she said.
The chief minister also admitted that there had been some irregularities in the teacher's recruitment during her time as the chief minister of West Bengal. "But the complaints of irregularities are limited compared to the huge teachers' appointments taking place in the last ten years. However, we would have rectified the mistakes had we given a chance to that. But unfortunately, we did not get that chance," the chief minister said.
"Had I not been the chief minister I would have asked my female party colleagues to slit out the tongues of those who are resorting to constant slander against us concerning the irregularities," the chief minister said.
Referring to the recent incident of the alleged rape of a woman at the India-Bangladesh border by BSF jawans, she wondered whether such an incident happened due to the Centre's decision to broaden the paramilitary force's jurisdiction from 15km to 50km in bordering areas.
"The BJP talks about 'Beti Bachao' and 'Beti Padhao' and its government released those involved in Bilkis Bano case. Is this justice? We will organise 48-hour long dharna here in Kolkata to press for action against the accused," she added.
Speaking on the occasion, Abhishek Banerjee attacked the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary and the Union Home Minister, Amit Shah's son, Jay Shah for the alleged refusal to hold the Tricolour during the India-Pakistan match on Sunday. "Either Amit Shah should announce Jay Sah as his prodigal son or he should resign from the post of Union home minister. I am surprised that such people try to teach us about the spirit of patriotism," he said.
(With PTI and ANI inputs)