West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday described Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a “seasonal bird” for coming to north Bengal only ahead of elections, and dismissed his claim that she was petrified, saying it was he who was scared of her.
“Babus of Delhi set fire in the hills and we defusedit. You (Modi) had not come to Darjeeling during the days of unrest. Where werethe BJP leaders when there were disturbances in the hills?” Banerjee saidin a strongly-worded speech at a rally at Churabhandar in Jalpaiguri district,hours after Modi spoke at an election meeting in Cooch Behar.
Addressing a rally later in the day at Falakata in Alipurduardistrict, she said BJP leaders “are seasonal birds who come here onlyduring elections and run away after polls” while Trinamool Congressleaders and activists have been with the people 365 days a year
For the major part of 2017, the hills in Darjeeling,Kurseong and Kalimpong witnessed violence and political turmoil over therevived demand for a separate state of Gorkhaland to be curved out of thenorthern West Bengal hills.
The entire region came to a standstill for 104 daysfollowing the longest-ever shutdown called by the pro-Gorkhaland outfits.
Responding to Modi’s remarks that she was petrified atfearing defeat, Banerjee said: “They are saying Didi and TrinamoolCongress are scared. I am not scared of any dacoit like you and it is not soeasy to frighten Didi. Didi was beaten up from head to toe and I have injuriesall over my body. I had fought in front of bullets and guns.
“When rest of India remained silent (during the noteban and the NRC), we raised our voice. That is why Modi babu is afraid of usand he knows he will be defeated,” she said.
In Churabhandar, Banerjee also asked why the people ofBengal would vote for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), as “Modi has donenothing for Bengal” and “has not even cleared the proposal forchanging the name of the state to Bangla”.
She attacked the BJP for nominating “tainted”candidates such as John Barla from Alipurduar, whom she accused of indulging in”violence and efforts to create division between hills and plains”.
Banerjee also alleged that the saffron party was offeringcash to the youth and the people so that they come and join its meetings andrallies.
“They are threatening people and fighting the electionswith money power,” she said.
Responding to the Prime Minister describing the TrinamoolCongress as “Saradha-Narada” party, Banerjee said: “You hadlinked the Trinamool with the Saradha chit fund scam in 2014 and with theNarada sting case in 2016. But during today’s rally in Cooch Behar, you sharedthe stage with persons who were accused in both the cases and are nowcontrolling your meetings.”
“Sarada-Narada-Hawala leaders have now become BJP’sleaders,” she said at Falakata.
Incidentally, BJP leader Mukul Roy, who had jumped ship fromthe Trinamool to the BJP and was questioned by the central investigationagencies in these cases, was present at Modi’s rally in Cooch Behar earlier inthe day.
Amid the controversy over removing senior police officers inthe state by the Election Commission, Banerjee claimed that the saffron partywill not win the Lok Sabha elections by transferring officers.
“Why the Cabinet Secretary and your Secretary won’t beremoved ahead of the elections? There were many allegations against you(Modi),” she said.
Taunting Modi for calling himself a “chowkidar”(watchman), Banerjee wondered whether the Prime Minister knew that many”chowkidars” at the ATMs do not even get their salary regularly.
“We want real chowkidar, not the fraud. I will saychowkidar jhoota hain. Chowkidar lootera hain. Chowkidar did note-ban and iscorrupt,” she said at the Falakata rally.