West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday raked up the issue of National Register of Citizens ( NRC) and National Population Register ( NPR) at the annual martyrs' day rally of her party, the Trinamool Congress.
The party could not hold a rally due to the spread of COVID-19 but Ms. Banerjee addressed party supporters from a stage near her residence in Kaliaghat and it was telecast on television channels and social media platforms of the party.
“We have not forgotten the fight against the NRC and the NPR. Don’t think that in times of COVID-19, we will forget about them”, she said.
Referring to the developments in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, she alleged that the BJP was trying to destabilise the government in West Bengal. “A conspiracy is being hatched by the Union government to destabilise the elected government of Bengal by using its agencies and money power”, she said.
Ms Banerjee urged people to have faith in the Trinamool Congress. If anyone trusted the BJP, they would lose their life and livelihood. When the country was busy fighting COVID-19, the BJP was busy destabilising elected governments in Rajasthan and West Bengal after Madhya Pradesh, she alleged.
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‘BJP only a petty party’
“If you can remove the CPI(M) from power after 35 years of rule, then the BJP is only a petty party. They only use money to influence elections”, she stated. Outsiders would not rule over the State but only the people of West Bengal . “Why will Gujarat rule over Bengal”, she asked, adding that the BJP was aiming to create a model of “one country one party”.
The Trinamool Congress chairperson told the party workers to ensure that the BJP lost its deposit in the 2021 Assembly polls. She assured them that the party would have a very grand martyrs day rally the next year.
During the day, the Trinamool Congress set up arrangements at various places for people to watch Ms Banerjee’s speech. A few Trinamool Congress leaders also came to Esplanade and offered their respects at the venue where the rally is held every year.
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Police firing in 1993
Thirteen Youth Congress supporters were killed in police firing on July 21, 1993 during a rally led by Ms Banerjee. Since then she has been observing the day for the past three decades. This was the first occasion when the party could not organisea rally where lakhs of supporters participated.
The Opposition parties in the State, however, raised questions on why the Trinamool Congress used the event for political gains.
CPI(M) MLA and leader of the Left Legislature Party in the Assembly Sujan Chakrabory raised questions on why the report of the Commission of Inquiry of Justice Sushanta Chatterjee on the firing had not been made public. The report was submitted to the State government in December 2014.
Congress MP and leader of the party in the Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said the observance of July 21 by the Trinamool Congress was the greatest act of political opportunism.
BJP national secretary Rahul Sinha said Ms Banerjee was scared by the rise of the BJP in the State and was desperate to win the support of people.
