With General Elections approaching Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday upped the ante against the Congress-led Centre threatening to lead a massive demonstration in the Capital against the economic deprivation of Bengal.
In what is being viewed as her desperate attempt to tone up the party’s organisation currently torn by dissidence and internal bickering down the line, as well as turn the attention of the media way from alleged administrative lapses the Chief Minister warned she would give a befitting reply to the Centre’s step-motherly attitude by mobilising once crore people in Delhi.
“Our MPs, MlAs and other people’s representatives will lead a huge crowd of one crore people from Bengal and other parts of the country to Delhi and protest against the economic deprivation of Bengal by the Centre” Banerjee told a huge gathering of her party men wondering whether “a Government that does not tow the lines of the Centre should be discriminated against.”
When it came to the people’s cause, “I do not care about protocol” she said adding she would personally lead the rally in Delhi and “we will show what we can do.”
She was speaking at an extended Trinamool Congress general council meeting aimed at sending a message to the rebel legislators as also to disburse cheques to selected number of depositors cheated in the Saradha chit fund scam.
Banerjee had earlier rejected the Raghuram Rajan Committee report saying it would rob Bengal of additional Rs 4,000 crore.
Taking on the rebel MPs and MlAs of the party Banerjee reminded how “rough and tough” she was with the rebels when it came to tackling rebellion she said her “party would not compromise on the issues of discipline” adding how “a few persons are considering themselves as bigger than the party four years after winning elections riding on its shoulders and ensuring a fat pension.”
Without naming party’s suspended MP Kunal Ghosh, veteran leader and Diamond Harbour MP Somen Mitra, his MlA wife Shikha Mitra and some others, Banerjee said “people will never forgive these traitors.”
Curiously 929 depositors cheated in the Saradha chit fund scam were handed over cheques from the stage apparently raised for the party meeting. The Chief Minister said “we are giving 900 cheques now and will give another 5 lakh cheques after the Durga Pujas.” About 19 lakh complaints of chit fund fraud have been received by Justice Shyamal
Sen Commission looking in to the case.