Fight against Modi akin to Quit India movement: Didi

Debra (WB), May 8

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today accused Prime Minster Narendra Modi of running a fascist government in the country, and drew a parallel between her campaign against the BJP and the Quit India Movement of 1942.

Addressing a rally, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo said the PM and his party would be shown the door after the Lok Sabha elections. “Someone has to bell the cat. In 1942, the Quit India movement was launched against the British, now we are fighting to oust a fascist Modi from power,” she said.

Banerjee said Modi, if he retained power, would destroy the “constitutional fabric” and no elections would be held in future.

“There will be no freedom or democracy in the country if Modi is voted to power again. It is time we show the door to Modi and the BJP. It’s time this government is buried during this democratic exercise (elections),” she said.

She claimed people were scared of expressing their opinion in public.

“There is an emergency-like situation in the country. Nobody can speak out in public as they are scared of him... Stop this fascism and terror,” she said.

The TMC boss also insisted that Modi never visited Bengal during crises. “You will get a big rosogolla (zero seats) in Bengal,” she said.

She alleged that Modi had lied when he said he was once a “chaiwala” (tea seller). “From chaiwala, he has become a chowkidar (watchman). We do not want a chowkidar who tells lies.

“Modi had promised achhe din (good times) after coming to power. What happened in reality is that the prices of petrol and diesel have gone up and minorities and adivasis no longer feel safe in the face of incessant attacks,” the TMC leader said.

India is in danger under the Modi-led government, she alleged. “We want leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Netaji Subhas Bose, Ambedkar, Rajendra Prasad and Swami Vivekananda. They (the BJP), however, talk about Nathruam Godse and not of Gandhiji,” she added. 

In Jungalmahal, she said the forested tribal area of the state, were afraid of both CPM and the naxals during the Left Front rule. But the scenario has changed in the area, which comrpise Jhargram, West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia districts, Banerjee said at an election rally at Kotshila in Purulia district.

Banerjee, who had spearheaded the anti-land acquisition movements at Singur and Nandigram, said that her government would protect the rights of adivasis including their claim over land. — PTI