West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said that all political parties in India must unite to oust the BJP government in the 2024 elections. Taking a dig at PM Modi, Mamata Banerjee said those who don't know how to respect women are now giving lectures about the Constitution adding that the so-called 'Double Engine Government' has failed and the BJP is now nothing but a washing machine.
Mamata Banerjee displayed a rare protest targeting the Modi government when she used a giant washing machine labelled as 'BJP Washing Machine' at the sit-in protest site in Kolkata and said that under BJP’s rule, the opposition is endlessly harassed by Central Agencies. But the minute an opposition leader joins the BJP, they become innocent as a lamb. That's the magic of 'BJP WASHING MACHINE!'
Calling for the opposition's unity, Mamata Banerjee said that it's not a fight about who will become the leader but it's a one-on-one fight of the people of the country with the BJP.
The Opposition has to unite and fight successfully to dethrone the BJP to save the country.
Speaking at the two-day sit-in protest against the Centre towards its discriminatory attitude towards the state, Mamata Banerjee said, "People were asking me whether I am demonstrating on behalf of the state government or the Trinamool Congress. I would like to tell them that I have two responsibilities. I am the CM of West Bengal and also the TMC chairperson. So, as a chief minister when I see the people of my state suffer, it's my responsibility to look into that."
"Since this is the government of the TMC, I will say that I am conducting this demonstration on behalf of my party and not for the state government. You can see my party's symbol," Banerjee said from the dais.
The TMC supremo commenced her sit-in in front of Dr B R Ambedkar's statue on Red Road earlier in the day to protest against the Centre's alleged "stoppage" of funds to the state for MGNREGA and other schemes of the housing and road departments.
"I am doing double duty. We have several ministers of the state government here. But unlike the BJP, I am not using my government's funds (to stage this demonstration)," she said.
"You can see that we have kept a copy of the Constitution' here. So, we must remember that the copy is kept here by those who have respect for it, the democracy and secularism of the nation... From here, I will give a call for 'save India, save democracy'," she said.
The sit-in will continue till 7 pm on Thursday.
(With inputs from PTI)
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