In a gratis display of courtesy and political civility — a rare species in today’s politics — Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday stood out and stood by ageing former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh vehemently questioning the vile taste that went into the making of the Accidental Prime Minister.
Without referring directly to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for inspiring the movie, Mamata advised the makers and viewers to also see “The Disastrous Prime Minister.”
Even as a group of Congress men protested the launch of the movie at a North Kolkata multiplex, Banerjee thundered before a cheering crowd at Barasat “look what they are doing in the name of the Accidental Prime Minister,” expressing the hurt she felt in hearing how Dr Singh was being lampooned.
“You know I am from a different party. I came out of the Congress and formed the Trinamool Congress with your blessings because I had differences with them. But that is a different issue. Now I think what they are doing is a distortion (of facts) which is wrong” Banerjee said asking the people to see another “film” the story of which had started unfolding already — “The Disastrous Prime Minister.”
She would not however name Dr Singh’s successor.
“Those who are doing a drama before the elections over Accidental Prime Minister, should also see another film — ‘The Disastrous PM’,” she said, adding the film would soon be shown in coming days.
“No one will be spared. Today you are misrepresenting someone. Tomorrow things will be reflected back on you,” she warned.
Though she would not name the senior BJP leader, she compared him with the villain of a super hit film of 1970s, saying “he can’t even talk and smile properly” and people are scared of his appearance.
Attacking the Modi Government for making a “drama” out of reservations for upper castes Banerjee wondered “where is the job that you will give o the people” adding the whole reservation gimmick was a drama enacted to win votes before the elections.
Asking the people to “ignore the letter of Ayushman Bharat” as the State Government was not backing it the Chief Minister said, “they are unleashing the Government schemes with logos resembling their party’s insignia and hence.” Ayushman Bharat was one such scheme. “The State Governments pay for them and the Centre reaps political mileage out of it. So we are out of it. We have other health schemes in place like free medical treatment in the hospitals and Swasthya Saathi scheme. So, I appeal to the people to avail of the State schemes.”
Attacking Modi for failing on all counts she said “the Modi Government has failed in giving jobs. They have sucked out 2 crore jobs from the market whereas we have reduced unemployment by 40 per cent.”