July 21, 2018
Mamata Banerjee’s speech at the historic 21st July Shahid Dibas Rally
I thank all of you for braving the rains and coming to this rally today. On my way here, I saw people are still coming to Dharmatala. And those who could not come, are watching it on giant screens.
The dedication and determination of Trinamool workers is unmatched. No other party has such dedicated workers. We can win over all hurdles. We put up resistance against any wrongdoing. We are a party of Maa, Mati, Manush. We are a party of the people.
We cannot spend crores of rupees for a rally, like the BJP does. We do not have so many resources. You cannot bring so many people to a rally only by offering money. It requires love, affection and emotion.
21st July Martyrs’ Day rally completes 25 years today. Our resolution on this day is to win all 42 Lok Sabha seats in Bengal. Bengal will lead the way in the future. This must be our resolve.
We will organise a mega rally at Brigade Parade Grounds on January 19, 2019. We will begin our campaign for ousting the current government at the Centre on that day. We will invite all political parties and strengthen the Federal Front.
We do not care for the chair (power). We are here to serve the country and work for the people.
Our government is always with the people. We have already provided financial assistance to 30 lakh farmer families. We are your custodians. We are here to protect you.
Nanoor Dibas will be observed on July 27 in Birbhum. Firhad Hakim and Anubrata Mondal will look after the arrangements.
Trinamool will organise a meeting at Medinipur on July 28, at the same venue where BJP had organised a rally.
We will organise ‘BJP Hatao, Desh Bachao’ campaign from August 1-15.
On August 9, the anniversary of Quit India Movement will be observed. That day is also observed as International Adivasi Dibas. Programmes will be held in north Bengal on that day and south Bengal on August 10.
On August 15, at midnight, we will celebrate ‘Freedom at midnight’ by hoisting the National Flag.
The foundation day of Trinamool Chhatra Parishad will be celebrated on August 28
Teachers’ Day will be observed across the State on September 5
Abhishek Bandyopadhyay will organise a State Convention of TMYC on September 17
Preparations for Brigade rally will begin after festive season, from November. The attendance at Brigade will be higher than that of 21st July. Brigade 2019 will be a huge blow to BJP. We will invite all big leaders for the rally.
We have faced a lot of criticism for Panchayat polls. What were the results? 98% seats in Zilla Parishad, 90% Panchayat Samitis and 74% Gram Panchayats were won by Trinamool. When 70% seats in Uttarakhand remain uncontested, why are questions not raised? Are questions asked regarding Bihar, UP, Odisha, Sikkim? I can cite reports. A smear campaign has been launched. There are many places where even Trinamool could not field candidates. Panchayat elections are localised. A lot of local factors are involved in the polls.
Bypolls for Maheshtala were held after the Panchayat polls. Barricades and bunkers were set up. What was the result? Our margins increased. But they have still not learnt their lesson. They have no shame. In Trinamool, workers are our assets.
BJP is distributing money, bikes and phones. They are spreading lies. They are collecting money from people promising them gas dealerships. They have bought votes in Alipurduar. One can buy a few votes, but the votes of 10 crore people cannot be bought.
BJP is talking about Tripura formula. The CPI(M) was facing anti-incumbency. We created an Opposition space there and then the Congress leaders joined BJP. They spent crores of rupees. CPI(M) could not do anything.
Those who talk of fighting the BJP in Delhi are joining hands with them in Bengal. Jogai-Madhai-Bidai have become one. CPI(M) harmads have become BJP’s ustads. And then there are some traitors.
The Prime Minister and Home Minister have asked the States to take action against lynching. They should first control their State President. They speak the language of Taliban. Why can’t they control their own party leaders who are inciting violence? They don’t have a control on what they say.
Bengal is doing exemplary work. Kanyashree is our pride. Ruposhree is our pride. Which other State has a scheme for the higher education and marriage of girls? We have given scholarships to more than 2 crore Dalits and minorities. We have waived the khajna on agricultural land, along with the mutation fee. Unemployment has reduced by 40% in Bengal. We will fight. We will build (a better society).
They have failed to perform. Now they are postponing the deadline from 2019 to 2024. Let them first win in 2019, then they can worry about 2024. They got 325 votes in the House yesterday. So what? AIADMK is a spent force in Tamil Nadu. Had Jayalalitha been alive, they wouldn’t have got their votes. They will lose seats in UP if Mayawati and Akhilesh come together. They will lose seats in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat. Lalu ji will win in Bihar. In Bengal, people will defeat them. Same in Punjab. They will get a maximum of 150 seats.
Farmers are committing suicide. They claim that by 2022 farmers’ income will become double. They should learn from Bengal. We have already tripled farmers’ income.
Bengal is number 1 in 100 days work. We are number 1 in healthcare. Our youths and students are our pride. They are lynching people to death almost every day. They are spreading hatred. They are teaching people to hate others. They want to destroy the nation.
They have looted the banks, small savings are no longer secure. Investors are afraid of IT raids. They are misusing the agencies. Even today one person died in UP. More than 13,000 farmers have committed suicide. Demonetisation was a big scam. RBI is still counting the notes. And one person is giving false bhashan.
Congress and CPI(M) are helping BJP in Bengal and asking for our help in Delhi. We don’t want your help in Bengal. We can fight alone. Ideologies never die. You cannot have different ideologies for Delhi and Bengal. In Panchayat elections, CPI(M), BJP and Congress fought together. Our fight against CPI(M) in Bengal will continue. We have not forgotten Singur, Netai, Nanidgram, Marichjhanpi or 21st July.
Trinamool workers must be cautious. Make sure BJP does not indulge in money politics. If necessary, complain to the police. Be alert and complain about extremist leaders in your region. RSS wants to incite violence and riots. Be cautious. Bengal will not tolerate the politics of hate, violence and riots.
They might send the ED and CBI after hearing this speech. They sent Sudip Bandyopadhyay to jail. We will not concede ground to them. They are doing whatever they like just because the agencies are with them.
When we began this meeting, it was cloudy. But now the skies are smiling. This is a sign, an indication. When the BJP was there, our mothers were shedding tears. When I said BJP hatao, the clouds departed.
The NDA has already started crumbling. Their ally Shiv Sena did not vote for them. Another ally TDP brought a no-confidence motion. BJP is on the backfoot. Even BJD has not voted for them.
We have to work harder in the days to come. We have stand by the people. We have to work for farmers, we have to honour our mothers and sisters. We have to work for the upliftment of tribals, minorities, and the poor. We are here to serve them. Listen to their problems and try to offer help to the best of your capabilities.
We provide rice at Rs 2/kg to 8.5 crore people. Healthcare is free in hospitals. Number of beds has increased by 28,000. Despite the huge debt burden, we are working for the people. We have already paid Rs 2.4 lakh crore for debt servicing. This year we have to pay another Rs 46,000 crore.
We have constructed 30 lakh houses, distributed 5 lakh pattas. 1.2 lakh youths have been recruited as civic police. We have increased their salaries. We have hiked the salaries of parateachers, as well as ICDS/Asha workers.
Bengalis are being discriminated against in Assam. We love the Assamese people, the Bodo people, Rajbongshis, Kamtapuris. But human rights have cannot be denied. We will resist when that happens. Similar problem exists in Manipur. We have to work together to resolve these problems. Unemployment is increasing in the country. We want the nation to progress. The BJP is looting the country. Farmers are in distress. Dalits are being tortured. We have to find a solution to this problem.
We have to defeat religious extremism, Talibani communalism, and fight against the torture of BJP. We have to put an end to their loot.
BJP calls themselves Hindu. What kind of Hindu? Hinduism of hatred? Talibani Hindu? Are we not Hindus? Swami Vivekananda and Ramakrishna Paramhansa – are they not Hindus? We don’t need their (BJPs’) certificates. We don’t subscribe to your version of Hinduism. We believe in our version of Hinduism. We worship Maa Kali, Maa Durga, Shib, Ganapati, Bishalakshmi, Rakshakali, Santoshi Mata and other Gods. We don’t believe in BJP’s violent Hinduism of swords and arms. They are insulting Hinduism. The Vedas, Upanishads, Ramayana or Mahabharata has not given them the right to insult Hinduism. Swami Vivekananda had said, united we stand, divided we fall. They (BJP) are indulging in divisive politics.
Our students and young generation must use the social media more.
Some people call their mothers Maa, some call her Amma. Water is water – no matter what name you call it by. But these people are indulging in division. They have come to power in India and are behaving like Hitler and Mussolini. They only give big speeches. Why should we listen to the gyan of people who indulge in divisive politics?
Their arrogance, their impudence, their torture, their oppression, their canards and propaganda is crossing the limit. They have even bought the media. They are intimidating the press. They are dictating what one should do. This was never the nature of democracy in India. This is a constitutional crisis. Democracy is in danger. Secularism is under threat. That is why in this hour of crisis, I want say, tyag ka naam hai hindu, imaan ka naam hai musalmaan, pyar ka naam hai isayi aur sikh ka naam hai balidaan, ye humara pyara Hindustan.
Bengal shows the way to all. All my brothers and sisters, those who reside outside, I request you to come back. Bengal is progressing now. Everyone is saying this, not just us.
Our political fight will continue against the CPI(M), Congress and BJP’s tortures. We will fight against the BJP’s nationwide oppression. We will also work for development. We will work for Maa, Mati, Manush.
Some leaders are trying to lure people with money. They are trying to spread lies among Adivasis, and sometimes they are spreading rumours about minorities. One or two persons can be bought, but not all.
The sun will rise one day. It will be the people’s sun. The moon will rise one day. It will be the people’s moon. One day the stars will shine, taking people from all faiths, castes, crees, communities along.
So, to sum up, what was our resolution today? To organise a Brigade rally on January 19. Why? To oust the BJP from office. Unishe unish dokhol. We will restore the honour of Bharat Ma. Our target is 42 out of 42 seats. BJP will be defeated. CPI(M) will receive a blow. They have destroyed Bengal in 34 years of misrule.
Let Congress decide what they want to do. We cooperate with them in Delhi, and they hold the hands of BJP in Bengal. We were also once with the Congress, but we believed in an ideology. We cannot give up our ideals. Our ideology is to work for the people. We are pro-people. Democracy is of the people, for the people and by the people. I will continue to fight as long as I am alive.
