Mamata Banerjee Slams Amit Shah, Says Home Minister 'Conspiring' To Topple TMC Govt

Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday came down heavily on Union Home Minister Amit Shah for his "undemocratic" and "unconstitutional" remarks that the TMC government won't survive beyond 2025 if the BJP wins 35 seats in the next year's Lok Sabha polls. The TMC supremo also called for Amit Shah’s resignation over the comments he had made during a rally on April 14.

"On Friday, Amit Shah addressed a rally. That is fine. But how can the Union home minister of the country talk about toppling a democratically elected government of a state? Is the constitution of the country being changed?” Mamata Banerjee said. "Shah can never make such a comment that if BJP wins 35 Lok Sabha seats, the state government won't complete the full term," Banerjee told reporters here.

We Demand Proper Probe Into Pulwama Attack: Mamata

Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister also expressed doubts about the "real story" behind the terrorist attack at Pulwama in Jammu & Kashmir in February 2019 in which as many as 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) police personnel were killed. "My question is whether a single central investigation team went to Pulwama after that incident. We also demand a proper inquiry into the matter as well," the Chief Minister said.

 

HM @AmitShah's claims of LoP @SuvenduWB being a crusader against corruption in Bengal are laughable!

The true colours of the chameleon:

Confessed to his involvement in Narada scam;
Implicated in Sarada scandal;
Directly involved in teacher's recruitment scam. pic.twitter.com/QzjAjOeIlt — All India Trinamool Congress (@AITCofficial) April 14, 2023

 

Shah Vs Mamata Over 2024 Lok Sabha Polls

 

While addressing a public rally at Suri in Birbhum district, Shah set a target for the BJP to win 35 Lok Sabha seats from West Bengal and said the incumbent Mamata Banerjee government in the state won't survive beyond 2025 if the goal is achieved. The TMC supremo claimed Shah's remarks prove that "a conspiracy is being hatched to dislodge the state government," and added that the home minister should not speak like a "goon".

Banerjee claimed that the BJP won't return to power in the next parliamentary polls, reiterating the appeal to the opposition leaders to unite against the saffron party ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. The Mamata Banerjee government is scheduled to complete its third term in 2026.

Referring to CBI's summons to her Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal, Banerjee said, "Are they trying to send out a message that a chief minister can be summoned and questioned? If a CM can be questioned, why can't the home minister be questioned too?" she said.

Mamata Questions Yogi Govt Over Prayagraj Killings 

 

Condemning Asad’s encounter done by the UP STF in Jhansi and the sensational killing of gangster-politician Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf by three shooters in Prayagraj, she said, “Encounters have become a normal thing for the people of Uttar Pradesh. I don’t support any crime. But how come some people were killed when in judicial custody? Were the central investigation agencies sent to probe such incidents?” 

She went on to say, "People of UP should protest against these encounters. If anything happens in West Bengal, they (BJP) send central agencies. BJP is double engine…double standard.” She also warned that her TMC government will not allow the implementation of NRC or the CAA in West Bengal.

Bengal Chief Minister also slammed the BJP workers for carrying “arms” during Ram Navami processions in the state. “We have got information that the BJP is conspiring to create communal tension in the state. They want to indulge in religious and caste politics,” she alleged.

Arrest Of TMC MLAs Just A Ploy To Weaken TMC: Mamata

 

Referring to the arrest of Trinamool Congress MLAs in connection with the multi-crore scam in the recruitment of teaching and non-teaching staff in West Bengal, CM Mamata said it is a ploy to reduce the strength of her party within the Assembly.

"The central agencies are only targetting our MLAs. They are not targeting any of the BJP legislators. But they will not be successful in this ploy, since our numerical strength in the Assembly is so high," the Bengal Chief Minister said.

She also alleged the Union government is sending central field inspection teams to West Bengal one after another just to stop the development projects undertaken by the state government. "As it is, the Union government has stopped payment of all dues to the state government under different centrally sponsored schemes. Now they have started adopting the strategy of sending the central inspection teams," CM Mamata said.