August 28, 2025
Won’t let anyone take away people’s voting rights:: Mamata Banerjee
The All India Trinamool Youth Congress celebrated its foundation day today, August 28. The party’s Chairperson Mamata Banerjee was the keynote speaker on the occasion. She spoke about the achievements of her government in the fields of education and jobs, and also on the poor performance of the BJP-led Union government on providing adequate jobs.
She also hit out at the BJP for using law enforcement agencies in states ruled by it to commit atrocities on migrant workers from Bengal for speaking in Bengali. Mamata Banerjee reminded the people in her speech of the rich legacy of the Bengali people, both in literature and in the Freedom Movement. The chairperson denounced the BJP for using agencies like the CBI and ED to conduct a political vendetta on parties opposed to it. She also criticised the ECI for allowing it to be used by the BJP (“act like a lollipop”, as she said) to disenfranchise people through the conducting of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR).
Here are the highlights of her speech:
People’s trust is only in Trinamool Congress. Remember this always. Never forget the stalwarts of Bengal. They are our pride who upheld our culture and heritage. Never forget their words. I convey my best wishes to everyone. May you lead the way in the future. Who is the best in culture? I will say Bengal
I formed the Chhatra Parishad and I was the Founder-President of the Chhatra Parishad of Jogmaya Devi College unit. After that, I won thrice uncontested because no one could field a candidate against me. It was because I used to stand by the students during their tough times. I dissolved DSO in my college through constant struggle and fight
There were no women speakers at that time. There was no TMCP back then a sit was formed later. There was Chhatra Parishad. So, I used to go to colleges across the country and attend party programmes. No one knows the country better than me. I have been to all corners of the country. I know many languages. I understand what they feel and what they want
After 2011, the State’s economy grew 5.5 times despite so much opposition. Poverty eradication is the yardstick of a good government. Under our government between 2013-2023, 1.72 crore people have been brought out of BPL in Bengal. Now that figure might touch 2 crore, which is the highest achievement in India!
I respect all talent. The teachers and the students create talent. But that talent is real talent which shapes human beings, gives proper structure to society, builds the community, and gives birth to humanity
The students should feel proud. Under Taruner Swapna scheme, we spent Rs 5,300 crore to give tablets/smartphones to 53 lakh students. Now they get it in class 11. Apart from this, they get bicycles under the Sabuj Sathi scheme in class 9. This year, 12.5 lakh students have received bicycles. We spent Rs 69,000 crore for education infrastructure
Kanyashree has received global recognition. When no one could think of such a thing, we earned this recognition. This is now a model for the world. Now we have close to 1 crore Kanyashree beneficiaries. 1.38 crore students have received bicycles under the Sabuj Sathi scheme
So far, 92,000 students have already received the Student Credit Card. We had promised this during the last election. 1.25 crore students have received scholarships under Shikshashree scheme. 6.65 lakh students have received Medhashree scholarships. For Medhashree scheme, we did not cut into the general quota, we created a separate fund for this so that general category students do not face any issues
The Centre has stopped the UGC grant but we continue to provide it. I saw this on social media. The Bardhaman University Vice-Chancellor had stopped funds for the researchers. I came to know that he was appointed by the Governor. After I got to know this, I restarted the grant. Remember, not everyone is our own. Some engage in mischief. 36.55 lakh students have received the Vivekananda Merit-cum-Means Scholarship
There are a few people who talk big about students, but they file cases to stop admissions and recruitment. I feel sorry. JEE results have been delayed but it is not our fault. These people file legal cases so that this can be delayed and then they blame us. They create legal hindrances and then they say that we are responsible and demand answers from us. I say, first you give answers about your actions. They cannot fight us in the political arena. You fight through the backdoor. They stop recruitment, admissions, and development through backdoor fighting
I was chased by armed individuals back when I was a student at Ashutosh College during the college election. I was there to deliver a speech. Two boys of the Chhatra Parishad were picked up by CPI(M) goons. But we did not bow down. They attacked me at Hazra More too. I have so many stitches and bones were broken as I was attacked with sticks and rods. They even attacked me on 21 July
We have never learnt to accept defeat. Abhishek has rightly said that everyone is attacking Trinamool Congress and we have to fight against all these forces. When our migrant workers are tortured, they say nothing. Another person died who was under treatment in Habra. He was attacked in Maharashtra. They took 22 lakh migrant workers from Bengal because of their skills. Yet, look at what they are doing. We also have 1.5 crore migrant workers in Bengal who have come here from other States. We treat them like our brothers and sisters. We do not torture them, we love them. This is Bengal
And to those who are torturing our people, you will see that when elections come, the pressure of agencies increases. Earlier the agencies were not aligned to any party. I was an MP seven times. I was the Railway, Coal & Mines, Youth & Sports, and WCD Minister respectively. The NCW and Sports Academy were formed when I was an MP. I have seen many Prime Ministers in my career, so there is no point in teaching me anything. I will write a book about this, about who was how, and this will be released at the next Book Fair
The BJP said that they will give 2 crore jobs. Far from giving any, they have taken away so many jobs. On the contrary, we have given jobs. We generated so much employment that even the Centre’s NITI Aayog acknowledged it. NITI Aayog has said that Bengal performed better in terms of reducing unemployment. In its report, it said that while the national rate of unemployment was 3.2%, the same for Bengal was 2.2% in 2022-23. We reduced unemployment by 40%
Karmadiganta Calcutta Leather Complex is the biggest in Asia, which generates revenues of Rs 35,000 crore and provides employment to 7.5 lakh people. The Bengal Silicon Valley, with Rs 27,000 crore investment, is a hub of 75,000 IT jobs. We are number 1 in MSME and in the Skilled Training sector. Even in terms of women employment and SHGs, we are number 1 in India
There are a few vindictive people. We were number 1 in MGNREGA, Awas Yojana, and Grameen Sadak Yojana. But a few ‘high-loaded viruses’ stopped our funds. These people have Himalayan incompetence. They think they will snatch away voting rights through NRC. We will never allow it
On one hand there is BJP, on the other hand, we have their friend the Left front. I respect the chair of the ECI. It suits children to have a lollipop, but it does not suit the ECI to act like a lollipop. Won’t let anyone take away people’s voting rights.This is Bengal. Kolkata was once the capital of undivided India. The British then changed it because they knew that even if they defeated other States, they could not fight us
Film director Goutam Ghose made a social media post. He said that India was not partitioned, rather, it was Bengal and Punjab that were partitioned. They speak Bengali but that is a separate nation called Bangladesh. There is one Punjab in Pakistan as well
In Andaman Cellular Jail – a replica of which is there in Alipore – 90% were Bengalis and 10% were Punjabis in the freedom struggle. We will not take accountability for this division because we were not even born back then. Why are you talking about what happened in the past? Why are you not talking about the present-day scenario? You were not even born back then, then why are you giving lectures now? Their brains are completely barren
Nowadays, they are making paid films to defame Bengal. They even referred to Khudiram Bose as Singh. I shared the document to point out the flaw. It was Khudiram Bose. Where were you when he was being hanged? Your forefathers did dalali of the British and saved themselves by signing bonds
Who gave the Jai Hind slogan? It was Netaji. It is unfortunate that we do not know his death date. The CPI(M) Government in Kerala is teaching that Netaji ran away out of fear of the British. It is a shame! Who gave us Bande Mataram? It was Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, a Bengali. Who wrote our national anthem? It was Kobiguru Rabindranath Tagore. If, as you say, there is nothing called the Bengali language, then how did Jana Gana Mana become the national anthem? How did Bande Mataram become the national song?
No matter how much conspiracy you engage in, it will yield no results. The BJP has brought 500 teams to conduct surveys here ahead of the polls. If someone comes for any survey, do not give any details. They will strike off your names from the electoral roll. Be vigilant and check your names in the list. Keep the Aadhaar Card with you always as it has been made acceptable
This is a ‘Lollipop Sarkar’. They are trying to threaten the BDO, SDO, DM, and Police. They are saying that either they will take away their jobs or put them in jail. The ECI comes and goes, but the State Government remains. The ECI has a lifespan of 3 months only during elections. Just like we have Lakshmir Bhandar, we also know about your ‘Corruption Bhandar’. I will expose everything. They speak of dynasty politics. What about your son Amit Shah who is the ICC President? Is this not dynasty politics? Ask them how many of their family members are holding bureaucratic posts in different States! We do not give lollipops, we ensure democratic rights
Bengal will not tolerate your torture. We will not budge an inch. Trinamool was not formed out of mercy, we were formed with people’s love. Remember, in the coming elections, our seats will only increase. We do development and will continue to do more. But you take away people’s rights and torture the poor by branding them as Bangladeshis. For me, the poor are in my heart. I do not believe in discrimination, I believe in humanity
We gave skilled training to 41 lakh individuals, of which 10 lakh have already got jobs. We conduct job fairs regularly. In real estate, revenue of Rs 45,000 crore has been generated in 2 years. We are the best when it comes to the tourism sector. We have Jagannath Dham and next, we will make Dura Angan. Durga Puja is our pride and we generate business worth Rs 1 crore from this alone
Be proud of your motherland and your mother tongue. You are the future. Do not forget your identity and existence. Always remember that Bengal is our identity. The BJP is shameless and so is the Left. They are following the footsteps of the BJP and saying Netaji ran away. Do they have the right to do politics when they used to call Netaji and Gandhiji bourgeois?
