May 16, 2019
Modi babu can rebuild a statue, but can he restore 200-year old heritage: Mamata Banerjee at Mathurapur
Trinamool Congress Chairperson Mamata Banerjee addressed a public meeting at Mandirbazar in South 24 Parganas district. It falls under the Mathurapur Lok Sabha constituency.
She slammed the Prime Minister for claiming at a rally in Uttar Pradesh that he will rebuild the vandalised statue of Vidyasagar. She said, statues can be rebuilt, but can 200-year old heritage be restored?
Highlights of her speech:
The Prime Minister has no shame. He is lying at a public rally in Uttar Pradesh. Their goons vandalised the statue, but he is blaming us. He says he will rebuild the statue. Bengal has enough funds to do so. We don’t need your alms. Can you restore the 200 year old heritage? Let him prove his allegations. Or else we will drag them to jails. We have all the documents.
Last night I came to know that campaigning time has been cut short based on BJP’s complaint. They do not want anyone else to campaign after Modi. Election Commission has become BJP’s brother. Entire country is saying that Election Commission is sold out to the BJP, not just me. They can arrest me if they want. I am not afraid to speak the truth.
This meeting was originally scheduled for Friday. Since, the campaigning time has been cut short, we had to reschedule the meeting. After this, I will go to Diamond Harbour and then walk in two padayatras from Joka to Taratala and Sukanta Setu to Gopalnagar.
A few evil, bad people are trying to snatch away people’s rights. They are running an oppressive regime. Babasaheb Ambedkar’s statue was demolished in Meerut. After winning elections in Tripura they vandalized statues. This is their habit.
What happened day before yesterday was shameful. Under the leadership of Amit Shah, their goons vandalized Vidyasagar’s statue, Vidysagar College and University of Calcutta. We will not tolerate any attack on our icons.
You goonda leader Amit Shah called Bengal ‘Kangal’. Not a single Bengali will join BJP. Those who joined BJP for money, society will not accept them.
Gau-rakshaks are coming from outside and spreading Jan Sangh here. Be alert. There is no one more dangerous, fundamentalist and extremist like them. They organise riots and spread hatred. They are sharing fake videos on Facebook, to orchestrate violence before elections. This is their weapon. Do not trust them.
We are organising this meeting today with due permission. But the PM is holding his rally on the ground owned by Kapil Mondal, who runs a chit fund. Is he giving a share to the BJP? We have all the records. The PM has the gall to talk about chit funds? We are submitting all proof to the police. Narendra Modi is attending a meeting organised by thieves and dacoits.
Campaign ends tonight at 10 PM. No one can campaign tomorrow. They cannot stop me like this. It is not easy to take me on.
The people from the BJP are fake sadhus – ‘Shamne gerua pechone dakatiya’.
There is no bigger liar than Narendra Modi in the country, bigger than thieves and dacoits.
All media outlets have shown how the statue of Vidyasagar was smashed into pieces.
The people will answer you through the power of their votes.
Through demonetisation, the Modi Govt has looted the people’s money. They are trying to buy your votes. Never give them votes.
Be alert at night as they are entering villages after midnight and distributing money in exchange for the promise of votes. The BJP has made crores of illegal money.
Narendra Modi has already lost. The people across the country have defeated his party.
The Central forces should not fire at villagers.
I am preparing ‘mahila vahinis’ across villages. There’s already a Jai Hind Vahini comprising of youths. These people will be my security guards who will help me combat any malpractice.
Narendra Modi, you think you can scare people through threats and beatings. But remember, the elections would be over soon but my movement against all such atrocities is only beginning. You can’t escape anywhere.
What does Modi know about Bangla that he is calling us ‘kangal’? You brought in goons to break the statue of Vidyasagar.
BJP’s culture is in antithesis to the culture of Bengal. They will lose across Bengal.
