May 6, 2019
How much money did the ‘tolabaj’ Modi mop up through demonetisation?: Mamata Banerjee asks at Kotulpur
Trinamool Congress Chairperson Mamata Banerjee addressed a public meeting at Kotulpur in Bishnupur Lok Sabha constituency. She said that Narendra Modi is a ‘tolabaj’ (extortionist), having forcefully taken people’s money by imposing demonetisation.
She also said that several times over the last five years, she had gone to Modi and asked for monetary aid for Bangla. He never acceded. And now, sensing an opportunity to further his own agenda, he came here after the cyclone, and held a meeting, and expected her to be there. She said she has no time for photo ops with him.
Highlights of her speech:
Narendra Modi comes here and calls me a ‘tolabaj’ (extortionist). Such audacity! We say TMC stands for ‘Temple, Mosque, Church’ (unity in diversity). And he calls us ‘tolabaj’. We want to know, how much money did he mop up as a ‘tolabaj’ through demonetisation, money which the people had saved with their blood and tears?
The CPI(M) had tortured the people here for opposing it. So heartless they were! And I have written about all such incidents in my book. Read them, and you will know how they tortured the people here and in many places.
This election is for the formation of a new government at the Centre.
We have done a lot of developmental work here, including a Rs 3,000-crore drinking water project, which would be very helpful for a dry region like this.
Five years ago, Narendra Modi asked for your votes, and in return, he would give each one of you Rs 15 lakh. He had said that demonetisation would result in the extinguishing of black money.
But neither has happened; on the other hand people have lost jobs. And whatever little people here have saved in banks would be lost if Modi is voted back to power. And there are not even enough banks here; our government has to work with the help of cooperative banks.
Prices of fuels, cooking gas, cable TV subscription, etc. have increased by big amounts.
Over the last few years, 12,000 farmers have committed suicide. In the name of ‘achhe din’, the BJP has imposed demonetisation, increased the prices of diesel and petrol, make people lose jobs, set up syndicates and kill people in the name of cow protection, created lynching syndicates, taken everything away from the people, and divided the country up by instigating riots, starting wars and killing people. The BJP has no other work.
Narendra Modi, you have to answer the people. You have never stood beside the people here. And now, just before the election, you come here, asking for votes.
In his affidavit, while filing papers for the election, Modi didn’t mention his wife at all. The person who cannot look after his wife, how will he look after the people of the country? Charity begins at home. Therefore Narendra Modi, look at yourself first.
One who can’t look after his own wife, how will he look after the country? We don’t want such a chowkidar
People don’t fear great leaders and great people. But people fear Modi, because of the riots he instigated while being the Chief Minister of Gujarat. He has also taken away the people’s rights everywhere. Therefore too, the people are scared of him.
With ‘jhanda’ in one hand and ‘danda’ on the other, the ‘panda’ of the BJP rule the people with fear, to keep them ‘thanda’.
We are ready to give our lives but will not let the BJP divide Bangla using riots.
The NRC has caused people to be driven from their homes and get killed in Assam. Let them touch a single person here in the name of NRC and see what we do to them!
Through the Citizenship Bill, they intend to force people out of the country.
If they come back to power, they will majke Nathuram Godse a hero, and turn the great Mahatma Gandhi, whom he killed, into a zero.
They are bringing boxes of money here from Jharkhand to influence the elections.
The model code of conduct is the same for everyone. So like the other leaders, why are officials not allowed to photograph his helicopter while he is getting down from it, to check whether he is carrying anything that is not allowed?
Someone has to stop the BJP. someone has to bell the cat, and we will do it. We will show the right way forward to the rest of the country.
The time for your defeat has come, Narendra Modi. You will lose badly across the country.
Where were you when the cyclone came? I was at the spot, braving the storm, and you were in Delhi.
You come here now and ask the chief secretary to meet you for a meeting, overriding me, under whom the chief secretary works.
I don’t have the time to attend photo-ops with you. When I really needed you to help me, you didn’t – during the floods in 2012, 2015 and 2017, and several other times. You didn’t give me any funds. You never helped me. And now you come here to show your fake kindness. I won’t beg for money.
And how will the prime minister give money anyway? His term is over. Therefore, he is an ‘expiry prime minister’. Hence, he doesn’t have the power to give us money either.
He comes here and tells people that Trinamool won’t even win 10 seats. I say, it is you who won’t get even 10. We will win 42 out of 42.
Often people ask me – which is more dangerous, a storm or Narendra Modi? I always answer, Narendra Modi, because he brings bigger destruction than the worst storm does.
People are so scared of Modi all the time. We want peace, not war and destruction. Therefore, Modi must be removed from power.
