india

Updated: Aug 28, 2019 16:33 IST

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday lashed out at the Centre on a range of issues: to the goings on in Jammu and Kashmir to crackdown by investigative agencies while speaking at the foundation day programme of the Trinamool Congress’ students’ wing.

“There have been so many developments in Kashmir. But could anybody speak? Did they allow anyone to enter and report on the ground situation? They have not allowed anyone to speak. They have subjugated everyone under the gun,” the Trinamool Congress chief said.

She also took a jibe against the Communist Party of India and said they are not protesting against the Centre now. “Once Kolkata came alive with the slogan ‘tomar naam amar naam Vietnam Vietnam (Vietnam is your name and mine). Where is your protest now? Ram Bam ek hoye gelen? (Has the Left become one with Ram)?” she asked, adding a significant number from the Left have joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

BJP Bengal unit chief Dilip Ghosh rejected her allegation and said that (opposition) MPs did speak against the Centre’s decision on Kashmir, but they did not have substance in their argument.

The chief minister also said that the central investigative agencies are harassing all parties and summoning MLAs and MPs regularly. “How long can this situation continue?” she asked.

Renewing her old allegation that the agencies are now targetting Bengal, she said that the agencies are cracking down on them since they are not afraid (of the Centre).

“We are not afraid of the central investigative agencies. They are summoning my brothers today. Tomorrow they may call me. I am ready for it. I am not afraid to go to jail. If I go to jail, I will think that it is another freedom struggle. But I shall not bow down to the politics of the Bharatiya Janata Party,” said the Bengal chief minister.

BJP Bengal unit president Dilip Ghosh hit back saying, “Why is she afraid? She is thinking that if Chidambaram can be taken into custody, the arm of the law can reach anywhere.”

“If some agency has evidence, investigative agencies can summon anyone. When he was the chief minister, Narendra Modi was questioned. Why should she be afraid? Why should she say such things time and again?” added Ghosh.

The TMC chief also said that the country is heading for a presidential form of government. “I am making this prediction today. There is a move towards presidential form of government. One election, one leader, one political party, one emergency,” she said.

Addressing the students, she said, “If you give us these two years (till the Bengal assembly polls that are supposed to take place in 2021), Bengal will give you the next 50 years.”

She also criticised the Centre’s decision of the Reserve Bank of India to transfer Rs 1.76 lakh crore. “If there is a crisis there won’t be any money left,” she remarked.

The TMC chief also slammed the Centre on the condition of PSUs such as BSNL, Bengal Chemicals, Air India and the Railways. “We are with the employees,” she remarked.

The chief minister also said that on November 15 and 16; she will meet students of colleges at the Netaji Indoor Stadium in Kolkata to pick new leaders.

“I shall interact to find out who can be the next generation of leaders in the state. I shall prepare the next rung of leaders who will not allow the BJP to come to power in the state for the next 50 years,” said Mamata Banerjee.

The Bengal BJP chief said the chief minister’s words are a reflection of her frustration.