Amid ongoing controversy around alleged harassment of Bengali migrant workers in the BJP ruled States and a call given by the saffron outfit to overthrow the Trinamool Congress Government in the next year’s Assembly elections State Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee once again played the Bengali Asmita card saying Bengal would be ruled only by the Bengalis and none else.
The Chief Minister who has been on a trip to North Bengal on Wednesday told during a State function that only those who understood Bengali sentiments could rule Bengal and none else.
“Desh ka neta wahi ho sakta hai jo desh ko samajhta hai (one those who can understand the nation can rule it), not someone who divides the nation… those who hate Bengal are not fit to rule it,” she said.
Picking up the issue of alleged harassment of Bengali migrant workers outside the State she said “they are doing this because they hate Bengal and they hate Bengal because they know that without Bengal there could be no freedom struggle.
The British were compelled to shift the Capital from Kolkata to Delhi as they were unable to tackle us.
We will not submit before those who hate Bengal and they have stopped MNREGA funds, they are not releasing money for rural housing and road projects, now the
State Government has been forced to complete these projects and they are dreaming to rule Bengal and they cannot do so.”
Incidentally the Chief Minister’s statements are an echo of her previous remarks when she said that “Bengal will not be ruled by Gujarat … Bengal will be ruled by Bengal only … we respect all the States, languages and cultures but we are proud of our culture and will never tolerate insult of Bengal.”
Reacting to her statements, senior BJP leader and former State party president Rahul Sinha took a dig at her saying, “the proof of Mamata Banerjee’s love for Bengal is hidden in the series of scams and criminal activities perpetrated by her party men and her Government … her love for Bengal is proved by the unchecked infiltration of Rohingya and Bangladeshis into the State that her Government has allowed and supported … now the Bengali people want her out of power.”