December 2, 2014
Centre is only good at making speeches: Mamata Banerjee at Siliguri
Trinamool Chairperson Ms Mamata Banerjee addressed a meeting of party workers at Siliguri today.
Workers from the three districts of Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar had assembled at Baghajatin Park in Siliguri to take directions for the future course of action from the leader of the party.
The Chairperson has already held workshops for party workers for several districts of south Bengal.
Excerpts of her speech in Siliguri:
We will organise Uttarbanga Utsav on January 20. I am happy that so many women are attending today’s meeting. Girls are our assets.
Women run the family. We must respect our elders. This is the culture and discipline of Trinamool Congress. A leader will not drop from the sky. A leader is born from among the people. Party will identify who is fit for what job. No one has to request for poll tickets. When I was in Congress, I always had to go to Delhi for everything. In Trinamool, there is no lobbying.
My motto is to work for the people to the best of my ability. North Bengal has always been neglected. When I was Railway Minister I gave several railway links to the region. We are going to inaugurate a Sports Village in Jalpaiguri tomorrow. There is a lot of tourism potential. We are developing Gazaldoba. We are building roads. A safari park is coming up near Siliguri. A small scale industrial park is coming up on a 200 acre plot in Banarhat.
Coochbehar, a neglected district, is also turning around now. We have started Panchanan Barma University in Coochbehar. We have created a new district Alipurduar. Terai and Dooars are getting facelift. We have started 100 Days’ Work scheme at tea gardens. We distribute food grains to workers of closed tea gardens. I want workers of tea gardens to get land pattas under Nija Griha Nija Bhoomi scheme. A lot of work is happening in north Bengal. We will continue the developmental projects.
Delhi is yet to release funds. They have stopped funds under 100 Days’ Work. I heard that Centre has hiked the excise duty on petrol and diesel again. They deregulated prices of fuel. The reduction of prices of fuel in India is not at par with the reduction of prices in global market. BJP won the Darjeeling seat. They came to power. And soon after coming to power BJP hiked FDI in Railways, Defence. There is a limit to fooling people. The Centre is cheating people. The Central Government only makes grand speeches.
The CPM has invited BJP to Tripura… CPM-BJP bhai bhai. One is chhota bhai, the other bada bhai. We clean our own homes. We do not pose with brooms before the camera. Rabindranath wrote India and Bangladesh’s National Anthem, Bankim wrote our National Song. Who are they to tell us to go to Bangladesh? What do they know about the history and heritage of Bengal? This is the land of Rabindranath, Nazrul, Netaji, Baghajatin.
The Centre is taking away major share of our revenue. Centre is not paying our due share of funds. Let Centre stop taking our tax revenue. We will not ask for any funds from them. We are not asking for alms. My MPs protested in Parliament with empty earthen vessels regarding 100 Days’ Work Scheme.
Disputes between management and workers must be settled by discussion. We have formed a Group of Ministers to look into the issue of tea gardens and jute industry. Genuine demands of workers must be looked into. But we do not support violence and murder. Often there are riots in Assam. We have to keep our borders safe, in districts like Jalpaiguri/Alipurduar.
Always be there at the service of people. Work for people. You must serve the poor. A new generation of politicians must emerge from the youth. You must not see politics as means of earning money. Cost of living is much less in Bengal.
We care for our girl child. We have started Kanyashree scheme for the education of girls. Girls can lead in any career they choose. Why should girls lag behind?
Take the advice of senior leaders. The youth must take the flag of the party forward. Youth can make mistakes. They will learn from the mistakes. Elders must show them the correct path. Congress-BJP-CPM have united to take on Trinamool.
We all have our limits and boundaries. But there is no boundary for development. We have formed a branch Secretariat in north Bengal – Uttarkanya. Who stopped the CPM from setting up one? We have given recognition to Hindi, Al Chiki, Gurmukhi, Nepali. We set up 10 new universities in three and half years.
We have set up fair price medicine shops. Bengal is No.1 in 100 Days’ Work, MSME, Skill Development, Food Grain Production. We were No. 23 among States in Transport when we came to power. Now we are No. 4. We are setting up 42 multi super specialty hospitals. We have allocated funds for an airport in Coochbehar. Alipurduar is a new district. Lot of development work can be done.
A lot of developmental projects are going on and all the Opposition is interested in is smear campaign. We will reply to the Opposition’s propaganda with development. They ruined Bengal for 34 years. Now they are shouting. I ask them to rest for 34 years.
And another party who cannot manage Delhi is trying to capture Bengal. Today Trinamool is playing the role of main Opposition in Delhi. We have brought together all parties in protesting against the Centre. Those in power in Delhi know Trinamool is their main opponent. But they cannot sweep us away with brooms.
We have to win the upcoming elections in Siliguri, Jalpaiguri, Coochbehar. Keep working for the people and they will extend their support to you.
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