Trinamool Congress chairperson Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday appealed to voters in Malda district, where Muslims comprise 51.27% of the population, to vote for her party which has never won any of the district’s two Lok Sabha seats since its foundation in 1998.
“The TMC has never won any Lok Sabha election in Malda since its formation. Will the scenario change this year? “Can I have your words?” Banerjee said at a campaign rally at the Malda North seat, which the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) fought from the Congress in 2019.
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The Malda North and Malda South seats were formed during a 2009 delimitation, before which the undivided Malda Lok Sabha seat was won by the Congress 13 times. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) or the CPI(M) could fight it only twice.
At Malda North, the TMC has fielded former Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Prasun Banerjee against the BJP’s outgoing MP Khagen Murmu, a tribal leader.
Addressing the minority community voters, Banerjee said her government has reserved seats for practically all Muslims from the other backward class (OBC) category.
“Who introduced 17% reservation for OBCs in Bengal? We did. Didn’t we put 97% Muslim communities into this 17%? Go and check. Your children are becoming doctors and engineers today. We will set up more institutions for their careers,” Banerjee said.
“We are struggling day and night to stop the BJP. The Congress and the CPI(M) are allies in Bengal. Both are helping the BJP. The TMC is the only force fighting them on their own. Once the BJP is defeated, the INDIA coalition will form the government at the Centre,” she added.
The Bengal chief minister targeted Union home minister Amit Shah for accusing the TMC of misusing central funds in his campaign speeches in the state.
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Banerjee said: “They (Centre) suspended all funds for rural housing and employment schemes in Bengal. Amit Dada mahashay (gentleman) said Bengal did not produce expenditure accounts for ₹2,29,000 crore. I have lied. I challenge Amit Shah. Not a single utilization certificate is left to be furnished. On the other hand, the CAG’s (Comptroller and Auditor General of India) report says 32 central government departments could not furnish utilization certificates for ₹52,000 crore.”
“You wanted to throw stones at Bengal but first you must see your own face in the mirror,” Banerjee quipped.
She alleged that the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) is a precursor to the enforcement of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) across India.
Banerjee said: “If this government returns, they will enforce NRC and CAA. Has any Union minister applied for citizenship under CAA? The moment you apply, they will declare you a foreigner. Do you understand this? They (BJP) have plans to enforce UCC. It will take away our identity. Do you want NRC and CAA? If not, then defeat the BJP. BJP must be driven out. The TMC is the only alternative.”
At the Malda South seat that the Congress has been winning since its formation in 2009, Banerjee focused on communal harmony.
Refuting the BJP’s allegation that Hindus are targeted in Bengal, she said: “Muslims and Hindus live together. We don’t want riots. We want to live in peace and harmony. The BJP’s target is to malign Bengal. Can anyone present here say that he doesn’t get benefits from the state’s welfare schemes? We share everything among ourselves like brothers.”
Bengal BJP chief spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya hits back at the chief minister.
He said: “No matter how hard she may try, Banerjee cannot make her vote bank politics work. “The minority community has understood her strategy.”
News / Cities / kolkata / Mamata Banerjee reaches out to Muslims in Malda LS seats that TMC never won
