West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said she can sever ties with everything for Ma, Mati and Manush, and is not afraid of the Congress; pledges to fight against anti-people policies till the very end
As all the Trinamool Congress (TMC) ministers resigned from the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government to protest against its economic policies, party chief Mamata Banerjee Friday said she would keep on fighting against the ‘anti-people’ policies of the central government.
Pic/AFP
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“If you try to scare me, I will not get afraid. Because my life is a history of struggle. I will live like a tiger till my death. I can sever ties with everything for Ma, Mati and Manush (mother, land and people), but cannot sever tie with them for anything,” Banerjee said at a public rally at Gaighata in North 24 Parganas district.
Terming the government’s decision of allowing FDI in multi-brand retail and the recent diesel price hike as “anti-people”, Banerjee said she would keep on fighting against the measures.
“Your shops will be no more, your land will be no more and you will have no food to eat. Moreover, they have also increased the prices of diesel and LPG (cooking gas). What will you people do? Will you accept all these or give a befitting reply?” she asked.
“That is why I am fighting and will keep on fighting for Ma, Mati and Manush,” Banerjee thundered.
All six TMC ministers resigned from the central government and also met the president to submit a letter withdrawing support from the UPA, three days after the party said it was quitting the alliance.
Relief to exit Mamata cabinet: WB Congress
Launching a scathing attack on Mamata Banerjee for her “dictatorial attitude”, and claiming that the law and order situation in the state had been deteriorating, the West Bengal Pradesh Congress said it would be “relieved” leave the state cabinet.
At a media conference minutes after the TMC’s ministers put in their papers, Pradesh Congress chief Pradip Bhattacharya announced the party’s decision to leave the 16-month-old Banerjee cabinet and equated the chief minister with Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi.
“Why will she repeat what Modi has to say about the Congress? A progressive and secular Bengal will not tolerate Modi's words coming out of Trinamool's mouth,” Bhattacharya said.
The Congress is set to take a decision today about withdrawing support from the Banerjee government in the state. “Since we had forged an alliance with the TMC, it is an obligation on us to meet the governor and formally tell him of our decision to withdraw,” Bhattacharya said.
Asked if the exit from the state cabinet would dent the party’s power in the state, Bhattacharya said, “We are a national party. The move will not lessen our political power.” He, however, declined to comment when asked if he considered the Congress’ move of forging an alliance with the TMC a strategic mistake. He refused to make any appeal to the party high command about the number of union ministers the party would prefer from the state.
SP supports Cong to keep communal forces out
SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav yesterday came to the rescue of the ruling UPA coalition, which was reduced to a minority following the withdrawal of support by the TMC, saying he would provide support to the central government to “keep communal forces at bay”.
“We will support the UPA to keep the communal party away from the government,” said Yadav. “If we will not support the Congress, then it is possible that the communal party will come in power. So we are supporting the Congress,” he added. However, the relief to the Congress was qualified by SP chief’s bid to resurrect the Third Front and his opposition to the newly-launched reform.u00a0
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