Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister hit out at the BJP on Thursday comparing its leadership to dictators Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini and claimed that the party is indulging in false propaganda.
Banerjee, who is among the vocal critics of the saffron party, said it has a “prepared script” to break the movements against it and is trying to do so with the farmers’ movement.
The TMC supremo criticized BJP national president J P Nadda’s outreach programme in her constituency Bhawanipore in the city on Wednesday and said it was poorly attended.
Likening the BJP leadership with dictators Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini and Nicolae Ceausescu, Banerjee told a protest rally by the party’s farmers’ wing here that “Narendra Modi’s party (BJP) is indulging in false propaganda to further its agenda”.
She that the BJP has a “prepared script” to divert the attention of people, break the movements against it and is trying to do so with the ongoing farmers’ movement too.
“The Narendra Modi government is not abiding by the principles of democracy or the federal structure or the Constitution and is encroaching upon the jurisdiction of a state government,” she said.
Banerjee claimed that former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi had not “dared” to do such things though he had the support of 400 MPs. “But BJP with around 300 MPs is enforcing whatever laws it wishes to and is hurting the interests of the common man”.
Attacking the BJP-led government at the Centre for seeking accounts of the relief fund given to the state after the Amphan cyclone, she said “We first want to know what happened to the PM Cares Fund”.
Claiming that she has inputs about “many happenings”, the chief minister said that she does not indulge in personal attacks.
“If anyone in my family commits any wrong, he will be punished. I am for upholding of law, peace and against any kind of violence,” Banerjee said.
Describing the laying of the foundation stone for a new Parliament building by the prime minister on Thursday as a “stunt”, she said that the money allotted for this could have been given to farmers for their benefit.
“The present Sansad Bhavan can suffice for now,” she added.
Demanding withdrawal of the contentious agri laws by the Centre, Banerjee said that the legislations will hurt the interests of farmers and result in disastrous effect on prices of food items.
Claiming that the rights of the farmers have been taken away by the new farm laws, Banerjee said that their produce will be “bought by force” by corporates and people will have to buy food items at high prices.
“People must unite for protection of the interests of farmers,” she said at the rally held in front of Mahatma Gandhi’s statue here.
Potatoes, onions and edible oil must remain within the ambit of the Essential Commodities Act so that prices of these food items can be regulated for the benefit of the common man, the chief minister said.
Referring to Nadda’s programme, she said “I heard that he has said today that the Centre gives rice and the TMC eats away everything. Ask them (BJP) who takes away the money from the states and does not give back its dues.”
The chief minister said that the Centre takes away money from the states collected as income tax, customs duties, GST, but does not give back their dues, which is only 40 per cent of total collected amount.
The TMC supremo claimed that the BJP is not a party of Bengal but that of Delhi and “more that of Gujarat”.
Alleging that the BJP is bringing strongmen from outside and sending them to West Bengal villages, she asked her party members to challenge them and file FIRs at local police stations when they come across any such persons.
Claiming that Kolkata is the safest city in the country, Banerjee said “Bengal is such a nice place and they (BJP) are indulging in false claims against it.”
The chief minister said that political murders from May 2001 to May 2011 in the state during the Left Front rule numbered 663, while from June 2011 to June 2019, the number stood at 153.
She claimed that during the TMC rule, all religious programmes were held peacefully, including Durga Puja, Bakri Eid and Kali Puja.