Banerjee said the Modi government did not make any statement on a big decision like demonetisation in Parliament.
Kolkata: Terming demonetisation as the biggest scam since Independence, chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday said her party would hit the streets with the slogan “Modi hatao, desh bachao” from January 1, as the country is not “safe” in the hands of a person who has been “baptised in politics through communal riots.”
“He (Prime Minister Narendra Modi) started his political career with (2002 Gujarat) riots. Now, Alibaba and four aides are taking all decisions. Even the finance minister doesn’t know anything; only God knows what is happening in the country. They are bulldozing the people, the country and even their own party (BJP),” the Trinamul Congress president said in a dig at the PM.
Ms Banerjee, who presided over the extended core committee meeting of TMC said, “The Modi government which is talking about cashless economy has become faceless. Modi government is very good to those who are really black. ‘Modi hatao, desh bachao’ will be our only slogan. We will be organising meetings and rallies at the block level in every district from January 1 to 8,” Ms Banerjee told reporters after the meeting which was attended by all party ministers, MPs, MLAs and district presidents.
The Trinamul Congress president, who had recently visited Bankura and East Midnapore district to take stock of the situation post demonetisation at the grould level, said that she has received feedback from all districts. “The situation is same everywhere, the pensioners are not getting their dues, farming and agriculture has been badly hit, the tea garden and the jute workers are not getting their wages. The common people are being bulldozed,” she said.
Claiming there is no money in banks, she said, “A person who has no credibility can’t lead a country like India. The decision (demonetisation) has led to economic disaster in the country. From sunrise to sundown, this government is changing decisions more than hundred times. They are changing decision even in their sleep,” she remarked.
Ms Banerjee said the Modi government did not make any statement on a big decision like demonetisation in Parliament. “It is a serious matter,” she said, asserting that time has come for a united opposition against the Modi regime.
“Only because you have the majority, you can’t bulldoze Parliament. Rajiv Gandhi had over 400 MPs. I don’t know about Bofors but a message (on corruption) had gone to the people,” she said.
She also questioned Mr Modi’s rights to continue as the country’s prime minister. “He has no moral authority to remain in power even for a single day,” she said.
Emphasising on the importance of secularism and pluralism, Ms Banerjee asked her party leaders to effectively counter “She gave a very passionate speech on secularism and threats of communalism. She had asked us to be aware of various incidents that BJP is trying to use to flare up communal passion in the state,” a senior TMC leader said on the condition of anonymity.
“She said communal harmony has to be protected at any cost. In Bengal various communities have been living peacefully for ages and no one would be allowed to destroy the communal harmony to reap political benefits,” the leader said.
The CM’s directive comes in the backdrop of recent reports of clashes between groups in Dhulagarh area of Howrah district. This was preceded by a series of clashes in various parts of Bengal after Durga Puja in October.
The state government had denied reports of any communal clashes and termed these as results of “personal enimity”.
