Bengal Chief Minister on Monday launched a scathing attack on the BJP Government, particularly Union Home Minister Amit Shah — for playing to the gallery while having lunch with tribal and poor people — inviting instantaneous attack from the State BJP leadership that hit out at her for unleashing a “criminal and cut money raj” in the State.
Launching a no-holds-barred attack on the Home Minister, Mamata said how he had shared lunch with a tribal family in Jangal Mahal only fora photo opportunity. “Recently the Home Minister came and held a drama taking lunch with a tribal family which was told that he would stop at their house for having lunch --- but fact to be told his five star food was comprised of Basmati rice though for the purpose of publicity they made some women to chop vegetables in front of the camera which he never had.”
Comparing Shah’s visit with her own Banerjee who was on a three-day Bankura visit said, “… in contrast I just made an unscheduled stop at tribal residences discussed their problems with them sitting on charpais. It was not made for the camera.”
Taking a dig at Shah for garlanding the ‘statue’ of a hunter in the name of adoring the statue of freedom fighter Birsa the Chief Minister said “we will erect the real statue of Birsa Munda the great leader and honour him by declaring a holiday on his birth day.” Holding the Centre responsible for rising prices of eatables like onion, potato, and other groceries Banerjee said “a day has come when the people cannot even have rice and mashed potato the food of the poor and the Government (Centre) has no time to look into that problem.”
Banerjee also promised free ration to the people of jangalmahal till next June. While SC-ST vote constitute six percent of the total vote percentage in jangalmahal the tribal people make for about 40 percent vote share impacting about 45 seats. Incidentally the tribal population had overwhelmingly voted for the BJP in the 2019 general elections.
Attacking the BJP for bringing “outsiders” (read the leaders from other States to supervise electioeering in Bengal) to win elections Banerjee said “they are bringing people from outside Bengal and will spend huge cash to get votes … you accept that ill-gotten cash but don’t vote for them as the cash they will give you is all your moneytaken away from you by them.”