Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday took out a rally on Saturday in Kolkata against the recent Hathras incident and lashed out at the governments in Uttar Pradesh and at the Centre stating that the BJP was the “biggest pandemic.” She also said that protest rallies against the party will be held across the state.
“Criminal offenses can happen anywhere but we expect justice to happen afterward. What happened in Hathras is highly condemnable. Without giving the body to the family, police burnt the body. The delegation from my party (Trinamool Congress) had nearly reached the village but they were stopped…,” she said
“This is a super autocracy, this is not a democracy, and the BJP is the biggest pandemic that has finished the country. They are politicizing the issue even amid the pandemic,” the Trinamool Congress chief said.
While addressing the participants of the march, the Chief Minister also condemned the response of the Uttar Pradesh state authorities in the case of the 19-year-old who was allegedly gang-raped in Hathras on September 14. She died on Tuesday at Safdarjung Hospital in New Delhi.
“My heart is in Hathras today. Females were beaten there, even journalists receiving threats since yesterday and are being asked to stop the coverage of the incident,” she said.
She further said, “BJP is a shame for the country. The gangrape of the Dalit girl in UP is a shame for the BJP. I wanted to speak to the family but I was told their phone had been taken away.“
“During elections, they come to the house of Dalits with food from hotels eat it and claim they have eaten at a Dalit home and forget them once elections are over. We condemn this criminal offense that has taken place against a Dalit in Hathras. I stand with Dalits, Muslims, and Adivasis whenever they are in trouble. The TMC will fight when minorities are wronged,” she said.
“Today I m not Hindu I am Dalit because Dalit has been tortured,” she said.
“This protest will continue in block-level with banner and posters from tomorrow including all communities,” she said