JHARGRAM: Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday accused the BJP of using "a few government agencies" to run a "Tughlaqi regime" in the country and packing "all important institutions" with its own people.
Banerjee's comments came at a Trinamool workers' meet in Jhargram, about 180km from Kolkata where three senior Trinamool leaders - cabinet minister Partha Chatterjee, minister of state Paresh Adhikari and Birbhum party chief Anubrata Mandal - met CBI interrogators over the last 48 hours.
The chief minister did not refer to the SSC appointments issue but asked Bengal opposition parties to introspect. Teachers' appointments and transfers used to be made on the basis of recommendations on "paper chits" before the Trinamool came to office, she said, adding that she would "gradually open all the chapters of that book".
"But, if anyone errs while working for people, they should be allowed to make amends," she said.
BJP defaming state after poll loss: CM
Accusing BJO of running a "Tughlaqi regime" in the country, CM Mamata Banerjee said: "Trinamool has its origin in grassroots, this is a party of Ma-Mati-Manush and it is not like BJP. BJP is running a dictatorship in the country. It is using some central agencies to run this dictatorship. No one has a right to live, everyone's independence and rights are being curbed... No one but BJP supporters will find a place in important institutions."
"Transfers, appointments were made on paper chits earlier," Banerjee repeated, adding: "We know what happened during 34 years of CPM governance. I will open those chapters gradually. I didn't do it till now because I was trying to be polite. Politeness is not a weakness. If someone makes mistakes while working for people, they should be given a chance to rectify themselves. They should be given a legal chance."
"BJP is going on defaming the state after failing to win (the 2021 Bengal assembly polls) and remove me from office. It is even jealous of the Lakshmir Bhandar scheme (the monthly cash incentive scheme for women in Bengal). It is now repeating the old lies because the 2024 Lok Sabha polls are approaching. It goes on claiming there is violence here. But where is this violence? If there is any incident or accident - and that is not acceptable - it needs to be seen whether strong action has been taken immediately. In BJP-governed states there is no justice, police do not even lodge FIRs," she said.
Banerjee indicated panchayat elections could be bro-ught forward. "Do not keep people's work pending. Ensure no work is incomplete before the monsoon. Very little work can be done in the next three months (during the monsoon). I may declare panchayat elections any time. Complete all the work quickly so that people can see," she added.
