Kolkata, Aug 28: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday said she would not let anyone take away people’s voting rights, alleging that the BJP was unleashing “linguistic terror” on Bengalis across the country.
Addressing a rally in Kolkata to mark the foundation day of the Trinamool Chatra Parishad, the party’s students’ wing, Banerjee claimed that the BJP has deployed over 500 teams from across the country in West Bengal to conduct surveys, aimed at deleting names of voters from the electoral rolls.
“Do not give your details if anyone comes to your house for surveys. They will use that data to delete your name from the voters’ list. Instead, check directly with the polling centres and ensure your Aadhaar cards are ready, because the Centre has made it compulsory,” she told her supporters at the rally.
Alleging that the Election Commission was intimidating state government officers at the behest of the BJP, she said, “I respect the office of the EC, but you know, lollipops suit children. If adults start taking lollipops on behalf of one party, it does not look good.”
Banerjee, the TMC chairperson, alleged that the BJP is insulting Bengalis by branding poor migrant workers from the state as “Bangladeshis”.
“You torture poor people by calling them Bangladeshis. But to me, poor people are my biggest strength. I don’t believe in caste or creed, I believe in humanity,” she said.
“Recently, a migrant worker from Habra was killed in Maharashtra, but these people (BJP) never raise their voice over such atrocities,” she said.
Banerjee alleged that the BJP was trying to make people forget the role played by Bengalis during the freedom movement.
“If there is no Bengali language, then in which language were the national anthem and national song written? They want people to forget the historical role played by Bengalis. Now they are even funding movies to defame Bengal and insult our history,” she alleged.
“Their predecessors were agents of the British who gave undertakings to get out of jails,” she claimed.
With months left for the assembly elections in the state, due in the first half of 2026, Banerjee has been consistently hitting the road, alleging that Bengali-speaking migrant workers were being harassed in BJP-ruled states.
Taking on the Centre, the CM alleged that funds for key welfare schemes had been withheld out of “political jealousy”.
“For four to five consecutive years, Bengal was number one in providing 100 days’ work, building houses for the poor and constructing rural roads. Out of jealousy, they have stopped our funds, and now they want to impose the NRC to take away people’s voting rights. But as long as I am alive, nobody will be allowed to snatch away people’s voting rights,” she said.
Banerjee also alleged that central agencies have been weaponised by the BJP to target opposition parties.
“Earlier, no government used central agencies like this before elections. But the BJP has made it a routine,” she claimed.
Banerjee accused the CPI(M) of “joining hands” with the BJP to fight her.
“The CPI(M) government in Kerala is claiming that Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose fled the country in fear of the British. We condemn this,” she said.
Listing the social welfare initiatives undertaken by her government, the CM said these schemes have empowered women and the youth of the state.
She said 1.38 crore students have got bicycles under the ‘Sabooj Sathi’, 53 lakh students have got tablets and smartphones under the ‘Taruner Swapna’ scheme, and the ‘Students’ Credit Card’ scheme has benefitted 92,000 youths.
“Our revenue has increased nearly 5.5 times since 2011, and between 2013 and 2023, we were able to bring 1.72 crore people out of poverty. While we empower women and students, the BJP runs a ‘corruption bhandar’ and promotes nepotism,” Banerjee said.
She apologised for the delay in government recruitment drives and starting the admission process in colleges, but blamed it on litigation.
“Those who file case after case are the ones delaying recruitment and admissions. Then they blame us. They cannot fight us politically, so now they are fighting us in court,” she said. (PTI)
