KOLKATA: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, attended the TMC’s Martyrs’ Day rally in Kolkata on Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s invitation on Sunday.
“I want to thank Akhilesh ji, you have accepted my invitation. I want the relationship of Bengal to be better with the entire country. I want to say the ‘Khel’ that you showed in UP, they (BJP) should have resigned from their post but they are shameless. They have tried every agency and every means possible but they have still lost…In North Bengal, our results have not been good but I hope in the coming days we will be winning there,” Mamata said at the rally.
Banerjee made bold assertions against the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre, claiming it would not complete its five-year term and might fall any day.
Addressing the huge gathering amid heavy rain, Yadav said, “This government at the Centre won’t last long and will fall soon. Such communal forces want to be in power at any cost, but those designs won’t succeed.”
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Highlighting the issue of violence in Bangladesh, Banerjee said the TMC-led state government would provide shelter to people from the violence-hit neighbouring country. “If helpless people (from Bangladesh) knock on Bengal’s door, we will shelter them. There is a resolution of the UN. Neighbours will respect refugees,” she stated. She assured all cooperation to Bengal residents whose relatives are stuck in violence-hit Bangladesh.
Banerjee’s speech touched on the ongoing unrest in Bangladesh, where authorities have imposed a strict curfew and military personnel are patrolling parts of Dhaka following violent clashes over government job allocations. These clashes have resulted in over 40 deaths and hundreds of injuries.
At the rally, Akhilesh Yadav expressed solidarity with the people of Bengal and criticized the BJP government in Delhi. “The people sitting in the government in Delhi are in power only for a few days. ‘Woh sarkaar chalne wali nahi hai, woh sarkaar girne wali hai’ (that government is not going to last many days, it will fall soon),” he said. He also predicted that the fall of the BJP government would usher in happy days, saying, “Yeh sarkar kutch din ke mehman hain. Yeh Dilli ki sarkar chalnewali nahi, girnewali hain.”
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She also criticised the CPM and the Congress, stating, “We fought against three parties. I salute the people of this state. The more we win, the softer we need to become.” Banerjee emphasised the historical significance of Bengal in India’s independence movement and condemned the BJP’s attempts to undermine OBC reservation.
Throughout her speech, Banerjee stressed the importance of moral integrity and public service. “Ami bittoban chai na, bibekbaan chai (I don’t want the rich; I want morally strong people),” she said. She urged her party members to avoid luxurious lifestyles and to stay connected with the people. “Don’t travel in a big car. It is better to roam on a scooter or a bicycle. That is why I give bicycles to students under the Sabooj Sathi scheme,” she advised.
In closing, Banerjee reminded her party that TMC is not just a political organization but also a social one. “Today you may have money. Tomorrow you may not have it. But there is no alternative to standing beside people. If we get any complaints, we will take action… We need friends. If you are such a human, nobody can defeat you. You must not do any wrong things and tolerate any injustice. Give respect to women as well as SC, ST and minority sisters and brothers.”