New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah said Thursday that Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee should not think that the BJP can’t fight back given the “killings of party workers”.
Shah, who is on a two-day visit to Bengal, said the people voted for her for a third time, but in vain. He said: “We thought Didi would get better, but corruption, syndicates and killings of BJP workers are yet to stop. Mamata Didi shouldn’t think that BJP won’t fight back.”
He said Mamata sends delegations whenever “an incident happens in the country”. “Why didn’t she send a delegation to Birbhum where eight women and a child were burnt alive. Aren’t they her people,” Shah asked.
Women and a child were burnt alive in Birbhum’s Bagtui village in late March, hours after the death of a local Trinamool Congress strongman. They died when their houses were burnt down by a rampaging mob, allegedly trying to avenge the death of their leader.
Earlier Thursday, Mamata Banerjee said her government always took strict action against illegal activities regardless of political colour, unlike in Uttar Pradesh.
Banerjee spoke about a case in UP where a police officer allegedly raped a teenager who had come to file a complaint of gangrape. She said: “A tortured woman who has been trying to lodge a complaint has again been tormented in Uttar Pradesh. In Bengal, nobody dares to do something like this. Here, we take strict action against those involved in illegal activities without looking at political colour.”
Speaking on the 11th anniversary of her party being in power, Mamata said: “Today, I once again take oath before my mothers and sisters that until I leave, I will work for Bengal. Bengal will show the path to India.”
She added, “If anyone has guts, they can challenge and face me regarding what I have done in these 11 years. There is no use talking against me, or misleading and hatching a conspiracy.”
Mamata said she didn’t care what other people said about her. “I care about democracy for my people. Those who celebrate Durga Puja also celebrate Eid. We celebrate all festivals together,” the chief minister said.
Mamata Banerjee’s government is under a cloud for a recent rape involving a party leader’s son.
A minor girl died after allegedly being gangraped at the birthday party of a Trinamool member’s son on April 4.
She bled to death hours later, according to her parents who lodged a police complaint. The victim’s mother alleged the girl’s body was snatched away from them at gunpoint and cremated.
The Central Bureau of Investigation has taken over the case and has made several arrests.
Mamata repeated Thursday that Bengal was better than other states. “Today in UP, if girls go to get justice, victims are made the accused. But here we don’t do that. I don’t even spare my own boys and girls (party workers) if they’re guilty. But there are some who keep circulating fake videos,” she said.
Amit Shah’s Bengal itinerary includes organisational meetings and a public rally, besides travel to forward areas along the India-Bangladesh border.
On Thursday, the Home Minister inaugurated the BSF’s floating border outposts at Hingalganj and lay the foundation stone of the ‘Maitri’ museum at Haridaspur.
Shah will visit the India-Bangladesh border area of Teen Bigha on Friday, where he is scheduled to interact with BSF personnel.
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