Kolkata: Days after a controversy erupted over the Bihar police seeking details about the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and its affiliates, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday warned Sangh leaders to mend their ways or face monitoring here as well.
Addressing a mega gathering to commemorate on ‘Shahid Divas’ (Martyrs’ Day) at Esplanade in Kolkata, the Trinamool Congress supremo said, “No one knows these BJP leaders in Bengal. They are bringing people from outside and RSS ‘goondas’ (goons) in Bengal. In the name of tribals, they are doing all misleading work. They are opening Ekal schools. In Bihar, the government has directed the state police to monitor RSS activities. It is out of our political courtesy, that we have not anything like that yet. I would like to urge them to mend their ways or else, people of Bengal will keep an eye on them.”
“We could have also indulged in violence when we came to power. However, our slogan was ‘bodla noy, bodol chai’ (not revenge, we want change). I would like to tell you (RSS), don’t consider our political courtesy as our weakness. Also, we will not allow anyone to create a rift between Hindus and Muslims in Bengal. I would like to tell the people of Bengal to find out who are these people. You stopped Priyanka Gandhi in Uttar Pradesh and when we did the same thing in Bengal, you accused us of doing injustice,” she added.
Regarding the ‘cut money’ (commission) issue that has plagued her party since the past few weeks, Banerjee said, “I would like to ask the BJP to return the black money first. You are asking TMC to return ‘cut money’? First give us Rs 15 lakh that you had promised. They (BJP leaders) are dacoits. They are building five-star office buildings. They are spending crores in elections. I would like to ask them from where are they getting these money. Return the ‘cut money’ on Rafael deal. Return the ‘cut money’ that BJP leaders took for central schemes. I have proofs. Should I make them public?”
“On July 26 and 27, we will launch a statewide campaign against the BJP’s black money. If our supporters and party leaders face any problem, I would like to instruct the administration to do the needful.”
This is not for the first time that the Trinamool Congress supremo has hit out at the RSS and accused the saffron outfit of committing religious polarisation in Bengal. Ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, while hitting out at the Congress for reaching an understanding with the BJP and CPI (M), Banerjee had claimed the RSS was helping former president Pranab Mukherjee’s son, Abhijit Mukherjee, in his campaign in Jangipur, Murshidabad.
Addressing a public meeting at Chopra at North Dinajpur, she had said, “Our mission is to oust the BJP from Bengal. I would like to tell you that even the Congress is having a secret political understanding with the BJP. Both are same. The RSS is helping Pranab Mukherjee’s son and Congress leader (Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury) to win this Lok Sabha election from Jangipur and Berhampur.”
Accusing the CPI (M) and Congress of helping the BJP, she had said, “They are like old wine in a new bottle. I would like to clarify that TMC does not require their help. People of Bengal will respond to them.”
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