December 11, 2018
This is the beginning of the end: Mamata Banerjee on 5 Assembly elections results
Mamata Banerjee today addressed the media in Delhi. Reacting to the Assembly election results in five states, she said this was the semi-final and the beginning of the end for BJP.
Her full statement:
I have already tweeted in the morning expressing my views. I believe this is a victory of democracy. People are the real winners in these elections.
The day demonetisation was announced, I had said, people will not accept this decision.
The farmers are undergoing a crisis, many of them have committed suicide. Dalits are being insulted and compared with animals. Names of historical places are being changed.
From CBI to RBI, there is political interference in every institution. There is an atmosphere of fear in the country. The country is going through political emergency. Governments come and go but this atmosphere of fear is not conducive for democracy.
There is financial emergency, political emergency, institutional emergency… The Constitution is the biggest pillar of strength in a democracy; it is being undermined too. People have not taken this in good stride.
Today the BJP’s arrogance has been defeated. Farmers, SC, ST, Dalits, Adivasis, general caste, young generation, farmers, industry, from Grihalakshmis to naujawans – every section of the society have gone against them.
This was the semi-final. For the final match, the game is clear. Now, we are waiting for the general elections. People are waiting to exercise their mandate. I have been working at the grassroots. If I understand the pulse of the people, then the countdown has started. This is the beginning of the end.
We are already together. There are some parties who are not with the Opposition, but ultimately they have to take a decision. It depends on them. Some regional parties have political compulsions also. At national level, we have the solidarity, but at the State-level, we are contesting the election alone. Similarly there are many political parties; they have their own compulsion. But at the end of the day, we are together.
Some representatives of jewellery industry met me today. Many shops have been closed down; nearly 1.5 lakh people might lose their job and livelihood. They are helpless. They submitted a memorandum to me today and I have forwarded the same to the Chief Minister of Delhi. The Delhi CM has assured me that action will be taken. Biharis are being driven out from here in the name of driving away the Bangladeshis. The same thing is going on in Gujarat and Assam.
Whichever party fought in their respective States have got the results. Congress contested in these places. We did not contest in these elections. But we gave full support and solidarity. This is a victory of the people.
I have said this before and reiterating – whichever party is strong in their respective States will have to fight there. Only when every state is strong, will there be a strong federal front. States are the pillars of the country. We have to work together to bring a progressive government to power.
This was a semi-final. Only two-three months are left for the general elections. The entire process will take at least two months. The bugle will be sounded around January-February. The government is on its way out. The sooner they go, the better for the country.
This is a disaster for them. Being in power, they have shown pride and arrogance; they have misused agencies. It is not good that the Governor of RBI has resigned. This is the proof of financial emergency.
Financial emergency is going on. People keep their money in banks, which are under the Reserve Bank. If there is no transparency. If the money kept in the banks are looted, then where is the financial security for people?
The institutions of democracy, like the media, are forced to remain mum. Some can speak out, some cannot. Journalists have been fired. These incidents have many reasons. The defeat in Chhattisgarh is a big blow (for them). Even in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. These are Hindi heartland States. There are no implications for the BJP in South India. The North East is small; there, the winning parties tag along with the party in power at the Centre. They have no hold in the East – in Odisha, in Bangla. In Bihar, the Government under Nitish Kumar came in power by making alliance with Lalu Prasad Yadav.
So, they do not have a chance in the East, the West is going away. If tomorrow, elections are held in Maharashtra, they will lose. In Goa, the Government can fall anytime. Ditto in Bihar.
