Electoral victory does not signify a “certificate of integrity, of which Phoolan Devi is a big example” Bengal Opposition leaders said moments after the inaugural speech of Governor KN Tripathi where he praised the Mamata Banerjee Government’s stupendous all-round developmental work that brought her back to power by casting aside “politics of slander and vindictiveness.”
Both the Opposition Congress and the left immediately took the opportunity to hit back at the Government saying “while it is procedurally and constitutionally binding on the Governor to read out the text written by the ruling party the truth is that the Trinamool Congress won on account of divisive politics and clandestine transfer of votes from one side to the other (read BJP to TMC).”
Opposition leader Abdul Mannan wondered “what the Government meant about politics of slander and vindictiveness. If they meant the issues of chit fund and Narada scam raised during the elections then they still remain relevant today until justice is reached.”
He maintained “there are numerous examples to show that winning elections do not signify a certificate of integrity.” Bandit-turned-MP Phoolan Devi was a big example he said adding “every one knows that despite Phoolan Devi had a long history of murders and dacoities she won the elections. Hence electoral victory of one party in Bengal will in no way give it a certificate of honesty.”
He wondered why the Government did not mention the thousands of crores that were “looted in the name of chit funds and the Narada issue where senior leaders including Ministers and MPs were seen taking bribe.”
Earlier, the Governor praised the Government for its people-oriented programmes like the Kanyashree (Rs25,000 to girls attaining eighteen years of age) and Sabuj Saathi (free cycle) schemes which got international recognition.
People had accepted the measures that led to sustained development and “outrightly rejected the politics of slander and vindictiveness” he maintained.
Coming down heavily on the Government for not mentioning issues like price rise, and post-poll attack left legislature Party leader Sujan Chakrabarty said “it was clear from the speech that this Government is not speaking the truth. They did not mention price rise, or post-poll attacks rendering thousands of people homeless. Neither did they mention the increasing burden of debt taken by this Government.”