April 11, 2014
We do not strike deals with media houses, we work for people: Didi at Islampur
Addressing a rally at Islampur in North Dinajpur district earlier today, the Chairperson Ms. Mamata Banerjee launched an attack on the BJP for trying to divide the state. She said that the party is communal and has stain of riots on its hands. She said that people with a history of riots can never become the Prime Minister.
Slamming the Central Government, she said that voting for Congress essentially means voting for the CPI(M). Listing the development initiatives taken by the West Bengal Government in the last three years, she urged people to shower their blessings on Trinamool.
Excerpts from the Chairperson`s speech:
I thank you all for your presence. Thank you for waiting in the sun despite the heat. I have been visiting all the districts throughout the year. I held administrative meetings in North Dinajpur, something nobody has done in the past. I have travelled to North Bengal more than 40 times. I know these areas well.
The Congress-BJP-CPI(M) have a secret understanding. Trinamool Congress is opposed to CPI(M). I was with Congress. In 1998 we formed Trinamool Congress because the state Congress sold itself to CPI(M). To us, this is the fight for our motherland, our soil.
Nobody believed that CPI(M) could be defeated. We achieved that in 2011. Trinamool Congress will never bow down to anybody except the people. We protested repeatedly against price rise. North Dinajpur is a jute hub. We also protested when UPA made policies affecting the jute industry. We left UPA because they went ahead with FDI in retail. We are against policies that hurt common people.
There has been a rise in the prices of petrol, diesel, LPG, fertilizers and all essential commodities. But in Bengal we have lowered the cost of electricity. We instituted Kanyashree for education of girls. We started Yuvashree programme for the unemployed youth.
We are paying for the incurred by CPI(M) Government. The Centre is taking away all our money. We could have done a lot of work for the people with the money. They are not even releasing funds for the State.
Whenever there is an election, the BJP starts divisive politics on religious lines. Congress tries to woo the Muslims. But Trinamool works for everyone irrespective of the caste or creed. We are there for the people throughout the year. We have started schools with Urdu and Al Chiki as medium of instruction. We have created reservation for the minority community.
We have done a lot of work in every sector, from education to setting up of fast track courts, women`s police stations, multi super specialty hospitals and model schools. We gave 57 lakh scholarships to minority students. We created more universities and colleges. An industrial estate is coming up at Islampur. Raiganj will get a campus of the North Bengal University. We have already set up 8 universities.
We will not tolerate any insult to Bengal. We will fight for the people. We don’t have money power. We cannot strike deals with media houses for paid news. We can only work for people. We have started Yuvashree scheme. Unemployed youths can register their names in Employment Bank. We are giving rice at Rs 2 per kilo to 3.2 crore people in the State.
India is a Parliamentary democracy. Elections are not held for the Prime Minister`s post. MPs select the PM. Some people are dreaming of becoming the PM. They should first get a majority. There is only one party in India that cares for the people – Trinamool. We do not make false promises. Trinamool has courage to fight for people. We do not strike secret deals in the dead of night.
I bow before you with folded hands. Shower your blessings on me. I will continue to work for people. I can give up everything in life. But I will never betray the trust of people. Voting for BJP means voting for riots. Congress has sold off the country. CPI(M) is na ghar ka na ghat ka.
Tyaag ka naam hai Hindu,
Imaan ka naam hai Musalman,
Prem ka naam hai Isaai,
Sikh ka naam hai balidaan
Roshni chand se hota hai, sitaron se nahi. Mohabbat ek se hota hai, hazaron se nahi. If you vote for the Opposition, they will divide Bengal, sell off the nation. Please do not commit the mistake. We do not believe in the politics of violence. If we are insulted people will give a reply through votes. People will form an alliance to vote for Trinamool.
I belong to a modest family, we are a poor party, that is why everybody targets us. We do not have money to hire TV channels for our publicity. What we can do is come to you with folded hands and ask for your support.
Raha gulshan toh joraphool khilenge. Raha zindagi, toh Dilli bhi jeetenge.
