BJP is voting with central agencies, don’t bow down to it: Mamata Banerjee in Cooch Behar

Banerjee attacked Nisith Pramanik but without naming him. “We expelled him from our party. He became a liability to our party and he became an asset when he went to the BJP. He is a goonda. He always believes in violence. Some days before he attacked our leader’s convoy. He is a criminal. I know how many cases there are against him. May I list all these cases? He became a minister but did not develop Cooch Behar. He developed only his own assets,” she added.

Banerjee also reminded the audience about the Sitalkuchi firing incident during the 2021 Assembly elections. On April 10, 2021, when polling was underway, five people were killed when the Central Industrial Security Force opened fire at Amtali Madhyamik Siksha Kendra in Jorapatki in the Sitalkuchi constituency.

“You can remember the incident of Sitalkuchi. The trigger-happy central force played Holi with blood. They killed five innocent voters. Four of them were my minority brothers and one my Rajbanshi brother. I came here and stood beside those families. Which police officer did this? The BJP a gave clean chit to him and made him a candidate in Birbhum. We wanted to stop him but the central government did not allow us to. We have initiated departmental proceedings against him. Do not forget that.”

She had then rushed to the Mathabhanga subdivision, under which Sitalkuchi falls, and met the victims’ kin and promised them government jobs. Sitalkuchi is one of the Assembly segments that fall under the Cooch Behar Lok Sabha constituency.

Banerjee also attacked the Congress, CPM and the Indian Secular Front. She said, “The BJP, CPI(M), Congress and the other party, which is like the AIMIM, are all the same. They are basically friends.”

“Today, they (BJP) will be here for a meeting. They will shed crocodile tears. Ask them why the funds under MGNREGA and Awas Yojana were not released. We were the topmost state in terms of implementation of these schemes. Today, calls are being made from the BJP party office to the Awas beneficiaries asking them to apply again. Why should they re-register?” the chief minister said.

“They are taking numbers from the list of verified beneficiaries that we shared with them and are calling the people. Our government promised three months ago that we would ensure a roof over people’s heads. There is no need for their help,” she added.

On the tornado that hit the state recently, Banerjee said, “I brought Aroop Biswas here with me because regions of north Bengal such as Jalpaiguri, Cooch Behar and Alipurduar faced a tornado-like situation and many people lost their houses. Four people lost their lives and over 156 were injured. After I got to know about the disaster, I immediately reached here at night after obtaining the requisite permission. I visited the family of the deceased at 12.30 am. Following this, I went to relief centres and the hospital. I met the injured at the hospital and spoke to them about their needs. I reached Barnish at 2 am, where 700-1,000 houses were destroyed in the storm. I visited relief camps there as well. The next day, I went to Alipurduar and reviewed the situation in the relief camps there.”

The chief minister said the people who lost their houses in the storm would get government aid.

“I only request the Election Commission to clear the requests as these people are living in relief camps. Why has no permission been given yet? Has the BJP asked the commission to prevent the disbursal of aid to the victims?” she added.

Cooch Behar will vote on April 19, in the first phase of the Lok Sabha polls.