0Trinamool Chairperson Mamata Banerjee today addressed a public rally at Balarampur in Purulia district. In her speech, she asked her party workers to work together to defeat the BJP. She also urged people to join the historic Brigade rally on January 19 in large numbers.
Highlights of her speech:
I have chaired almost 430 administrative review meetings till date, which is unprecedented. We are committed to serving the Maa, Mati, Manush of Bangla.
There was a time when people were afraid to come to this district. People did not step out of their homes after dark. Shops would shut down. Everyone lived in fear. Tyranny ruled the entire state.
Now, Ayodhya Hill has turned into a popular tourist spot. We have set up a new tourism centre there. We have done in 7 years, what others failed to do in 66 years. From ITIs to polytechnic colleges, Manbhum Akademi to Kurmi Akademi – we have done it all. We have provided assistance to folk artistes also.
When we assumed power Darjeeling in north, and Jangalmahal in south, were burning. People had only one question – when will the Maoist problem end. Now, they are smiling. People are happy. Children are going to schools, hospitals have been set up. People can go to work without fear. They sleep at night in peace.
A freight corridor is coming up at Raghunathpur. Lakhs of employment will be created.
Some people are coming here from Jharkhand, wearing saffron head gears. They cannot feed people but will do everything to harm them. Those who sported red shirts in the past are donning the saffron shirt now.
Ram (BJP) and Bam (Left) have become one. There’s Jogai, Madhai and Bidai.
They have only one work – to mislead people about Trinamool. They are creating divisions between Hindus and Muslims, Adivasis and Mahatos, Sikhs and Christians. They are driving Bengalis away from Assam and Biharis away from Gujarat.
Every girl has been brought under Kanyashree scheme in Bangla. We do not discriminate. SC/ST students receive Sikshashree scholarship. We give Sabuj Sathi cycles to students. Healthcare is free. Rice is provided at Rs 2/kg.
We also give saplings to parents of newborn children. We also give financial assistance to poor families for the last rites of their near and dear ones. We have renovated crematoriums, graveyards, Jahar Than. We have given land pattas.
They are trying to grab the land of Adivasis. We have brought a law against it. No other place has this law.
We have set up an academy for the welfare of Mahato community.
We are setting up a 900 MW power project at Bandwan at a cost of Rs 4500 crore.
We have taken up a water supply project at a cost of Rs 1100 crore for this district. Scarcity of water will become history in Purulia.
We have given Rs 1200 crore to 30 lakh farmer families, who have been affected by floods.
We have started lac cultivation in Purulia. We are focusing on homestay tourism. We are ensuring that girls associated with self-help groups get jobs.
Bangla is the only State where khajna tax on agricultural land has been waived off. We have done away with mutation fee on agricultural land.
People get free healthcare in government hospitals and health centres. People from Jharkhand, Bihar, Assam, Tripura and also Bangladesh come here for checkup free of cost.
I love Jharkhand. But BJP is bringing paid goons from Jharkhand to foment trouble in Purulia. We will contest Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections in Jharkhand in the future. We will also contest in Assam and Odisha.
Bengalis and Biharis are being driven away from Assam. We want good relations with our neighbouring States. So we have decided to contest elections there. If an Adivasi is persecuted there, we will fight for them.
The land of Adivasis was being grabbed in Jharkhand few days ago. We sent our team there to fight for their cause. The fight will continue in the future.
More than 12,000 farmers have committed suicide in many States, including Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. Whereas in Bangla, whenever there is any natural disaster, we help them. We provide agricultural equipment to farmers. We love them. Bangla is different from other States.
CPI(M) starts shouting whenever elections approach. They have become a signboard party. They are working in tandem with BJP now. They will be written off soon. Trinamool existed in the past, exists now and will exist in the future. We will play a significant role to build a better India. We will work for all and protect the people.
There are more than 50 per cent women members in our gram sabha, panchayat samitis, zilla parishads and municipalities. This is our message for the future.
We are organising a rally at Brigade parade ground on January 19, 2019. Barring one or two, 18-20 political parties will be present. It will be a historic rally. Start your preparations for the rally. Organise booth level meetings.
Trinamool was born amidst a lot of struggle. Our party was created after a section of the Congress became too close to the CPI(M). We have lost thousands of party workers. Trinamool was born on January 1, 1998.
Almost all our old workers have been beaten up. Even I have been attacked. I have had stitches from head to toe. We have reached this position after a lot of struggle, sacrifice and devotion.
People of Bangla cannot be bought with money. We do not have the slave-mentality. We have been taught to keep our heads held high. Ramakrishna Paramhansa, Swami Vivekananda, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Rabindranath Tagore, Nazrul Islam, BR Ambedkar, Birsa Munda, Pandit Raghunath Murmu, Mahatma Gandhi, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad are our inspirations.
Trinamool stands for people, culture, education. Those who join this party must know about the legacy and history of Trinamool.
Our struggles continue. Centre does not pay us any money. Bangla is being neglected by Delhi. They only badmouth us. From Raj Bhavan to the PMO – every office has BJP’s stamp now.
Didn’t people of Bangla celebrate Durga Puja before? Wasn’t Kali Puja celebrated? Hanuman Jayanti? Don’t we worship Shiva? Is Karam Puja not our tradition? Weren’t festivals held earlier? A new political party, supported by the CPI(M), is trying to teach us our culture. Let them manage Delhi first and then look at Bangla.
EVMs are malfunctioning in Madhya Pradesh since morning. We know these tricks. EC should take the responsibility of VVPATs. I will propose this at the meeting of Opposition parties in Delhi.
A conspiracy is afoot to incite riots in many places. We have seen rath yatra of Shri Jagannath, Shri Krishna. And now we are seeing the ‘Ravan Rath’ of BJP. It is a luxurious five-star bus. Netas will enjoy inside, come out only to incite mobs. Let them do their ‘Ravan Yatra’. We will perform ‘Ravan Vadh’ democratically.
They will instigate you to cause trouble. Do not fall into their trap. We will organise ‘Pavitra Yatra’ a day after their ‘Rath Yatra’. Their yatra will make the roads impure. They will travel in raths and we will be on the road with the people. Perform your ‘Pavitra Yatra’ on the same route.
BJP will be finished off (democratically) soon. Those who are coming from Jharkhand to create trouble here should take care of their State first. Provide basic amenities to people. BJP is in power in UP, Bihar, Rajasthan. They will not win there. Neither in Tamil Nadu, Kerala or Karnataka. They had two seats in Bangla; they will get zero.
CPI(M) and Congress have helped BJP grow in Bangla. They worked together like brothers during Panchayat polls. It will be good for the country is BJP is thrown out (of power). Our slogan is ‘BJP Bharat Chharo. BJP Desh Chharo’.
If BJP remains in power, you will not get loans from banks, your savings will not be secure. Farmer suicides will increase.
Trinamool does not compromise with those who are in touch with the BJP or those who discriminate between people. We work for all and will take everyone along.
Do not seek posts. Our block workers are our greatest assets. You must work unitedly.
