April 22, 2014
We do not need money from illegal sources to run our party: Didi at Serampore
Trinamool Chairperson Ms. Mamata Banerjee today campaigned in Serampore in support of Kalyan Bandyopadhyay, who is also the sitting MP from the same constituency. In her speech she took on the Opposition for trying to smear Trinamool`s image with allegations of chit fund connection and produced documents to show how the Left benefited from Saradha.
Excerpts from the Chairperson`s speech:
Despite of the tremendous heat, I have been campaigning for the last one month. This campaign will continue till May 10. I wish those who decide the dates of election understood the pain of common people during summer. In 1998, after founding Trinamool, we won 7 Lok Sabha seats. Serampore was one of them. Serampore is like our mother who gave birth to our party. We are honoured and delighted for being blessed with your support since 1998. We are thankful to you for your blessings. I urge you to bless us with your votes on 30th April.
Our candidate Kalyan Banerjee is a renowned advocate. He has fought vociferously for the rights of the poor. All our candidates in Hooghly district are good. Our other candidates here are Aparupa Poddar in Arambagh and Ratna De in Hooghly. They will definitely work for people. This is the first time elections are being held over two months.
CPI(M) destroyed Bengal for 34 years. Now the Centre is depriving us of funds. We are toiling hard on the ground for the sake of the people while the Opposition only criticizing us in TV studios. They can control the media with money power but they cannot buy people.
All through my life, I have protested against injustice. I am committed to working for the people. Opposition should not think our silence is our weakness. Whenever they criticize me I become certain that I am moving in the right direction. The more the media criticizes, the more our resolve increases. This is the same media which praised Buddhadeb babu for killing people in Nandigram, taking away land in Singur. People gave a fitting reply to the paid news in media during Panchayat polls.
Centre increased the prices of cooking gas, fuel, fertilizers. FDI in retail has been introduced. Why was the media silent?
When did chit funds start in Bengal? In the 1980s. Who was in power then? CPI(M). Who was the CM when Sanchayita scam happened? When was Saradha founded? Who was the CM of Bengal then? Was the CM sleeping then? States are not empowered to act against chit funds. Why is the Centre sitting on our anti chit fund Bill that has been sent for approval several months ago? What was Chidambaram ji doing till now? Why is he hyper-active just before elections?
Centre has turned arrogant because of money power. Trinamool does not need money from illegal sources to run the party. Why did the Left mouthpiece take money from Saradha for ads?
Centre is taking away all our revenues. Yet we are making our ends meet and working for the people. Countless incidents of violence against women happened during the Left regime. I still shudder from the memories. We can never forget the horrible crimes committed by the Left during their 34 year rule. The Left killed people and disposed off the bodies. Families of victims are still waiting for their loved ones to come back.
We have introduced Kanyashree scheme to encourage girls to pursue higher education. We have already registered 11 lakh girls under this scheme. Our target is to cover 16 lakh girls. We have started the Yuvashree scheme. One lakh youth can register their names in the Employment Bank. When they get jobs, another one lakh will be registered. Five hundred marketing hubs are being set up in the state to generate at least 5 lakh employment opportunities.
We have given Kisan Credit Cards to around 28 lakh farmers. We gave pattas to 2 lakh people in two and half years. 57 lakh minority community students received scholarships. During teacher recruitment, 10% of those recruited will be parateachers. We have started reservation for backward classes and minorities without touching General category seats. We are setting up ITIs in every block. Polytechnics are coming up in every sub-division.
We have already built 8 new universities. The CPI(M) set up only 3 during their tenure. We have constructed 31 government colleges in two and half years. We have started fair price medicine shops where people get medicines at discounted rates. We have started fair price diagnostic centres. Why did the Opposition not come up with such ideas?
We have introduced measures to make sure farmers get the deserving price for their products. We are taking up a new project to connect North Bengal with South Bengal. As Railway Minister, I have done a lot of work for Hooghly district. After coming to power, we increased our revenues manifold. But Centre is taking away a major portion of our money. Had Centre not taken away all our money, we could have generated employment for another 20 lakh people.
Political killings have decreased in the State. Jangalmahal is smiling now. Darjeeling is smiling. The Opposition is jealous. That is why they engage in malicious campaign against us. CPI(M)-Congress-BJP have formed an unholy nexus. We are not fighting alone. You are our strength. You are our true allies. We have the support of the people. We are fighting with dignity; our heads are held high.
We do not want alms. We want our right. The Centre should stop neglecting Bengal. We have to snatch away our right from them. The youth of Bengal must come forward to take the Bengal forward. We want the fight to be political. We do not indulge in malicious campaigns.
For the sake of progress and development of Bengal, vote for Trinamool.
