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Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee launched a scathing attack on the BJP from the party's annual Martyrs’ Day rally on July 21 in Kolkata.
While addressing the crowd during the Martyrs’ Day rally, the last one ahead of the state Assembly elections in 2026, Mamata attacked the BJP over the 'Bengali-Bangladeshi' row and also touched upon the issue of the NRC. She attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said, "You are controlled by Trump, and you are lecturing. Why were you not able to occupy Pakistan-Occupied-Kashmir? You come here, watch a teleprompter to speak in Bengali and think that you will win the hearts of people. When people were deported from the US to India with chains tied, why didn’t you speak then?"
She also took a dig at Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and said, "You can’t handle Assam, but you are meddling in Bengal. I want to inform Sushmita Dev to organise a massive protest in Assam. All of us will join"
She also touched upon the issue of Bengali-speaking people being targeted as 'Bangladeshis' and arrested in other states. Mamata said, "If a Bengali is arrested for speaking Bengali, I will not give up. If necessary, I will take this fight to Delhi. I will see it through to the end. You know that when I fight, I see it through to the end." She called for a language movement to save 'Bengali' from July 27 and ordered his party leaders to prepare accordingly.
Mamata added, "They are filling the jails with people who speak in Bengali. In the coming days, people will put them in jail. At least 1,000 people have been sent to the detention camps. We will not accept the NRC; we will repeal this law. When the elections come, they will ask to vote in the names of 'Bhai Rajbangshi' and 'Bhai Matua', and when the elections are over, there will be oppression."
Mamata Banerjee also alleged that the BJP government at Centre has deprived the TMC government in Bengal. She said, "They thought they would kill Bengal by stopping the money for 100-day works. We have foiled that plot. Even after stopping the money, they could not stop the work. So far, 77 lakh job card holders have been given jobs under the 'Karmashri' project with the state's money. Unemployment has come down by 40 per cent in Bengal. I would tell migrant workers to come back to Bengal. We have a lot of work for you."
Mamata lauded her party workers and said, "The workers, the people of this state, are our asset. When Trinamool was born, it was said that grass would be eaten by cows. Now Trinamool is a banyan tree. Those who think that they will crush Trinamool by abusing Mamata and Abhishek are making a big mistake. What did you think? Will you end it with ED-CBI? The challenge remains. How many people will you put in jail?"
