May 8, 2014
BJP PM candidate making distinctions between refugees and infiltrators on religious lines: Didi at Behala
Trinamool Congress Chairperson Ms. MamataBanerjee addressed an election campaign rally at Behala Chowrasta in support ofthe Trinamool candidate of the South Kolkata constituency, Subrata Bakshi.
She had started the day by addressing acampaign rally in support of Chowdhury Mohan Jatua, the Mathurapur constituencycandidate, at Namkhana and later addressed rallies at Maheshtala and Metibruzin support of the candidate for Diamond Harbour constituency, Abhishek Banerjee.
Atthe Behala rally she said, “Someone has made claims against me. I did not throwpapers on the Speaker`s face in 2005 to protest against infiltrators fromBangladesh. It was on an entirely different issue. I got an internal reportfrom the party which said that only 54,000 of the 2 lakh ration cards in thebordering districts of Bengal were valid. Most ration cards were bogus and given to CPI(M) cadre. I protested because they were getting the foodgrains meant for poor by breaking the law. After we came to power we removed many bogus ration cards.”
She said that the BJP`s Prime Ministerialcandidate was making a distinction between refugees and infiltrators on religiouslines. “Who are you, trying to drive out people from this State? Bengalispeaking people have been discriminated against for long. They are beingpersecuted in Assam, Delhi and Bihar. Whoever speaks in Bengali is branded aMuslim from Bangladesh. Bengal has a different history and inclusive culture.Study our history before making such comments,” she said.
“People of Bengal are being dubbed asrefugees and shamed. Some people are being called infiltrators. If they try todivide Bengal, if they try to evict anyone, I will guard you. I will not letanyone touch you. He said I respect refugees. Who is a refugee? Does heunderstand what it means?” Ms. Banerjee said.
The party Chairperson also expressedsurprise over Modi`s promise of Indian citizenship to the Matua community. “Havethey (BJP) gone mad? What citizenship is he talking about? I have a ministerfrom the Matua community in my cabinet,” said Ms. Banerjee.
The Trinamool Chairperson reiterated thatthe people`s representative is responsible to work for the people and to bebeside them always. She said that she had never taken the government facilitieslike pension s or cars she is entitled to as a Central Minister and MP, always travelledin economy class and never took government quarters. She asked all partycandidates to serve the people to the best of their abilities.
