“I don’t like the policies and politics of the BJP. They only follow the politics of dividing people on religious lines. In Nandigram, they had said it would become Pakistan.”
Kolkata : West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday stated that she won’t allow the country to turn into Pakistan or the Taliban. While campaigning in the Bhabanipur constituency, in south Kolkata, where polling will take place on September 30, Banerjee wiped at the BJP and accused the saffron party for practising divisive politics. Banerjee’s pitch came after the BJP claimed that Bhabanipur will become Pakistan if the TMC wins the by-poll.
“I don’t like the policies and politics of the BJP. They only follow the politics of dividing people on religious lines. In Nandigram, they had said it would become Pakistan (if the TMC wins). In Bhabanipur too, they are saying it will turn into Pakistan. This is shameful,” Banerjee, who is TMC’s candidate from here quoted on Thursday.
She wants her country to be strong and will protect the country, “I want my country to be strong and will protect my motherland with all my might. We don’t want India to become another Taliban (ruled state). I will never allow my country to turn into Pakistan,” she added.
Banerjee had lost to Suvendu Adhikari of the BJP from Nandigram during the assembly election held earlier this year. She has to win this by-poll to get back on her Chief Minister’s post.
Mamta criticizes BJP for taking exception to her recent visit to a mosque in the area, Banerjee said the saffron camp has a problem with her visiting a Gurudwara too. “I have visited a mosque; I have visited a Gurudwara also; and the BJP has a problem with both. I don’t bring religion into politics, unlike the BJP leaders who only understand the language of divisive politics,” she said.
On the sizeable Hindi-speaking population of the Bhabanipur constituency, the TMC boss said she would stand by them through thick and thin. “I never differentiate among communities. It is the BJP which destroys brotherhood and social fabric among communities,” she said.
Banerjee said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should speak to the World Health Organisation (WHO) to ensure that Covaxin is recognised so that those who availed that vaccine against Covid-19 can travel abroad.
Later, Banerjee also visited the Laxmi Narayan Temple. She was seen offering ‘Arati’. A metropolitan constituency, Bhabanipur is home to a large number of Gujaratis and Sikhs, mostly into business, living alongside Bengalis.
Banerjee, who is herself a resident of Bhabanipur constituency, had won the seat twice in 2011 and 2016 but shifted to Nandigram, to dare her former protege and now a BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari in his home turf. Though Banerjee powered the TMC to a resounding win for a third straight term in office, she lost in Nandigram.
Banerjee has to win a seat in the state assembly by November 5 in conformity with the constitutional provisions to continue as CM. After her defeat in Nandigram, state cabinet minister and TMC MLA from Bhabanipur Sovandeb Chattopadhyay vacated the seat to allow Banerjee to contest from there. Banerjee is pitted against the BJP’s Priyanka Tibrewal and CPI(M)’s Srijib Biswas for the September 30 by-poll. Congress has decided not to field a candidate against her. The votes will be counted on October 3.
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