West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday said that the Trinamul Congress was not a soft target which the Opposition could harm. “There is a saying that if soil or earth is soft then even rats can scratch it (and make rat holes). But keep in mind that the Trinamul Congress is not soft earth. It is like a rocky terrain — hard and impenetrable. If CPI(M), Congress and BJP think that at the time of election, they can make inroads in the Trinamul Congress (territory) then they are mistaken,” she said. Ms Banerjee went so far as to claim that the Trinamul Congress was so powerful that forget the rats even if a tiger attacked it its claws would break.
Ms Banerjee was addressing an election rally in Lalgarh in West Midnapore. With this rally, she launched her party’s campaign in the Jangalmahal where polling would take place in the first phase (April 4) of the six phase election. She also led a padyatra in Midnapore town.
Ms Banerjee had been on the backfoot following the release of the Narada sting video on March 14. She led several well-attended padyatras in the city and Howrah in the past one week but did not make her customary speech.
After remaining silent for over a week despite Opposition’s belligerent attacks, Ms Banerjee launched a scathing attack against the CPI(M) and Congress. She particularly targeted the CPI(M) which had a large support base in the region, particularly among the tribals.
Angered by the killing of a Trinamul Congress leader in South 24 Parganas, Ms Banerjee slammed the Election Commission for failing to maintain law and order. Dispelling the fear of EC and Central forces, she told her party workers that they were guests who would leave soon. “Don’t be afraid if somebody comes from outside and tries to intimidate you. They will go back after three days,” she said. Trying to boost her supporters’ morale she said: “I am not yet dead. I will stand by your side and keep on fighting.”
Ms Banerjee repeatedly drove home the point that it was her government which was responsible for restoration of democracy in Jangalmahal. “In one year, 400 people were killed in Jangalmahal. In our five-year rule not even a single murder has taken place,” she claimed.
She said during the Left Front rule, due to regular murder and mayhem, people were scared to set foot in the Jungalmahal.
Claiming that the once turbulent region has now emerged as a tourist attraction, Ms Banerjee said: “Today people come to the Junglemahal instead of going to the US, London and Paris.”
