Headlines
Situation in country worse than emergency: Mamata
Kolkata, April 8
Hitting the streets to
protest against the land ordinance of the Narendra Modi government, West
Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday accused the NDA
regime of throttling the voice of the opposition and the media to land
the country in a situation worse than an emergency.
"The Congress
had imposed the Emergency. Now there is more than Emergency in the
country. The doors for journalists have been closed. Those raising their
voices against the government, are being gagged.
"They are
trying to silence the critics by letting loose the CBI (Central Bureau
of Investigation), ED (Enforcement Directorate), or the NIA (National
Investigation Agency)," said Banerjee, who led the rally from Moulali to
Mayo Road.
Attacking Modi, Banerjee said his government was "fanning communal violence" and indulging in lies.
Taking
a dig at Modi's regular radio show "Mann ki Baat" where the prime
minister addresses listeners, Banerjee interspersed her Bengali speech
with Hindi expressions.
"He is only delivering lectures. Mann ki
Baat (speaking one's mind) patahi nahi hain kiska baat. Doodarshan ab
ban gaya BJP darshan. Dimag hi nahi hain to dimag chalega kaise. (They
are hosting 'Maan ki Baat'. But nobody knows whose words they are
saying. Doordarshan has become BJP darshan)."
The Trinamool Congress chief said the BJP's list of achievements was virtually barren.
"They
only click selfies, fan communal violence. Their favourite job is to
divide the people on the basis of religion. They only indulge in lies,"
she said.
Iterating her party's strong opposition to the land
ordinance, Banerjee said: "From the outset, our position is clear, and
we stick to it. We are totally against this land ordinance. We won't
allow anybody to forcibly acquire land."
Apparently targeting the
CBI for slapping a notice on her party, seeking details of its
accounts, she said: "They should have gone to the income tax department,
and taken details of my party's account from them. But instead they are
sending us notices. There will be heaps of notices and we will return
those to you."
Obviously referring to the BJP, she said the
Trinamool was being targeted because of its strident opposition to the
land ordinance.
"Don't think you can silence me by sending notices. I will continue to speak out my mind against land acquisition by force."