Narendra Modi is running a “Fascist government” Says Mamta Banerjee
MIDNAPORE /KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday accused PM Narendra Modi of running a fascist government in the country, and drew a parallel between her campaign against the BJP and the Quit India Movement of 1942.
Addressing a rally here, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo said the prime minister and his party will be shown the door after the Lok Sabha elections. “Someone has to bell the cat. In 1942, Quit India movement was launched against the British, now we are fighting to oust a fascist Modi from power,” she said.
Banerjee claimed that Modi, if he retains power, will destroy the “constitutional fabric” and no elections will be held in future.”There will be no freedom or democracy in the country if Modi is voted to power again. It is time we show the door to Modi and the BJP. It’s time this government is buried during this democratic exercise (elections),” she said.
Mamta claimed that people are scared to express their opinion in public.”There is an emergency-like situation in the country. Nobody can speak out in public as they are scared of him… Stop this fascism and terror,” she said.
The TMC boss also insisted that Modi never visited Bengal during crises. “You will get a big rosogolla (zero seats) in Bengal,” she said. The chief minister alleged that Modi had lied when he said he was once a ‘chaiwala’ (tea seller).”From chaiwala, he has become a chowkidar (watchman). We do not want a chowkidar who tells lies.
“Modi had promised achhe din (good times) after coming to power. What happened in reality is that the prices of petrol and diesel have gone up and minorities and adivasis no longer feel safe in the face of incessant attacks,”she said. India is in danger under the Modi-led government, Banerjee alleged.
“We want leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Netaji Subhas Bose, Ambedkar, Rajendra Prasad and Swami Vivekananda. They (the BJP), however, talk about Nathruam Godse and not of Gandhiji,” she added.
Seventeen seats in Bengal yet to vote, Mamata Banerjee today escalated her attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying he is running a “Fascist government” which has cowed down the people. Stop this fascism and terror,” Ms Banerjee said at a rally in Debra, Midnapore.
As the mammoth seven-phase election is drawing to a close and crucial seats in Trinamool Congress bastions are up for grabs, the war of words between Ms Banerjee and PM Modi has intensified.
This is the second time this week the Chief Minister amped up the attack on PM Modi. Her outburst yesterday — that she would like to give the Prime Minister “a tight slap of democracy” — has drawn censure.
It had been prompted by PM Modi’s equally harsh attack. At his last rally in Bengal, PM Modi had spoken of what he referred to as “Bengal’s Triple T –Trinamool, Tolabaazi, Tax”. “Tolabaazi” is a near-abusive term used in Bengali to describe organised extortion – which had infuriated Mamata Banerjee.
Meanwhile, Her counterattack had drawn a reprimand from Union Minister Sushma Swaraj, who is not contesting the election on health ground. “Mamataji, you crossed all limits today. You are the Chief Minister of a state and Modiji is the country’s Prime Minister. You have to talk to him tomorrow. This is why I would like to remind you of a couplet written by Bashir Badr: Rage all you want but I just have this one request from you, do not feel ashamed when we have to become friends again someday,” she tweeted.
The BJP, which currently has two of the state’s 42 seats, is out to wrest 23. The campaign has been has been one of the most bitter and polarising that the state has seen.
(With inputs from Agencies)
