Mamata Banerjee waves vegetables from podium; calls for 'outsider' BJP to step down

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday while addressing a rally in Midnapore contended that the BJP government at the Centre should immediately withdraw the "anti-people" farm laws or step down. Banerjee asserted that she would rather stay in jail than "remain silent or put up with BJP's misrule".

'BJP should not continue to remain in power'

"The BJP government (at the Centre) should immediately withdraw the farm bills or step down. It should not continue to remain in power after sacrificing the rights of the farmers," she claimed. In her rally, various vegetables were seen on the podium from where she was delivering her speech. 

Slamming the BJP as a party of "outsiders", the feisty TMC supremo said she would never allow the saffron camp to take control of Bengal, and urged the people of the state to resist any such attempt. She further announced that her government would continue to dole out free ration beyond June next year after her party returns to power for the third consecutive time.

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Mamata Banerjee said that no matter how much work her government does, "our policies are always labelled bad. Rafale scam wasn't bad, PM CARES fund which does not divulge its details isn't bad for them (BJP) but they want an account of Amphan cyclone damage here" She also added that "West Bengal will never bow its head to the people who murdered Mahatma Gandhi."

Last week, she threatened to launch a country-wide agitation if the "anti-farmer" new farm laws were not withdrawn. Her statement came ahead of a crucial round of talks scheduled to be held between the Centre and representatives of the agitating farmers during the day.

BJP had made deep inroads during the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Elections to the 294-member West Bengal Assembly are likely to be held in April-May next year.

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(With agency inputs)