Mamata Banerjee slams Centre with Sholay dialogue, urges CMs to unite against 'autocracy'

After West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee countered the Centre's order and appointed Alapan Bandyopadhyay as the Chief Adviser to CM, she urged all the opposition Chief Ministers of the country to unite against the "autocratic" Central Government and recalled the iconic 'Sholay' dialogue, "Jo darte hain, wo marte hain" (Those who get scared die soon.)

The WB CM said, “We are not scared by their threats. Jo darte hai, wo marte hai. Bengal has never learned to lose. We will always walk with our head held high.”

Urging the opposition CMs to unite, she said,  "I believe opposition chief ministers should come together and raise their voice. Not all states will heed them. There has always been a Lakshman Rekha between the Centre and the states. Jawaharlal Nehru and B R Ambedkar had stressed it. It was laid out in the Sarkaria Commission and later upheld by the Supreme Court. There is a consultative process,” said Mamata.

Referring to the central deputation order on Alapan Bandyopadhyay, she added, “This is an act of political vendetta. I have never seen such a heartless and ruthless Prime Minister and home minister. They are now targeting Mamata Banerjee’s chief secretary and officers to attack her. Federalism has been undermined, there has been no consultative process. And Monday’s letter adds insult to injury... I wonder who advises the PM. Why this political vendetta? Just because you do not like Mamata Banerjee and because you have been defeated?”

Mamata makes Alapan Bandyopadhyay 'Adviser' to CM

Mamata Banerjee on Monday announced that Bandyopadhyay had 'retired' as the state's Chief Secretary and reappointed him as her advisor for three years, in order to counter the Centre's move. Before her decision, Banerjee had also penned a letter to PM Modi asserting that the state government will not release him. She further urged PM Modi to withdraw the order by terming it as 'unconstitutional'. Additionally, she also remarked that the Centre took the decision without seeking permission from the state administration.