West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday clarified her recent remarks and stated that she did not utter a single word against students or their protests in her speech at the recent Trinamool Chhatra Parishad programme.
In a post on X, the West Bengal CM said that she totally supports the student movement as it is genuine.
“I detect a malicious disinformation campaign in some print, electronic and digital media which has been unleashed with reference to a speech that I made in our students’ programme yesterday. Let me most emphatically clarify that I have not uttered a single word against the (medical etc.) students or their movements. I totally support their movement. Their movement is genuine. I never threatened them, as some people are accusing me of doing. This allegation is completely false,” she said.
Further, targeting the BJP, CM Mamata said that she spoke against the BJP as they are threatening democracy and trying to create anarchy in West Bengal.
“I have spoken against BJP. I have spoken against them because, with the support of the Government of India, they are threatening the democracy in our State and trying to create anarchy. With support from the Centre, they are trying to create lawlessness and I have raised my voice against them,” West Bengal CM said.
She also clarified that the phrase (“phonsh kara”) that she used in her speech on August 28 was a quote from Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa Deva.
“The legendary saint had said that occasionally there is need to raise one’s voice. When there are crimes and criminal offences, voice of protest has to be raised. My speech on that point was a direct allusion to the great Ramakrishnite saying,” Banerjee said.
The West Bengal Chief Minister on Wednesday condemned BJP’s 12-hour ‘Bengal Bandh’ and called it an attempt to “defame” Bengal.
Addressing a Trinamool ‘Chhatra Parishad’ foundation day programme in Kolkata yesterday, in response to BJP’s 12-hour long ‘Bengal Bandh’ call, the Chief Minister had alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is using his party to cause a fire in Bengal over the Kolkata woman doctor rape and murder incident.
“Some people think this is Bangladesh. I love Bangladesh; they speak like us and share our culture. But remember, Bangladesh is a separate country, and India is a separate country. Modi Babu is using his party to cause fire here. If you burn Bengal, Assam, North-East, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, and Delhi too shall burn! We will topple your chair,” Mamata Banerjee said.
The remarks from the West Bengal Chief Minister ignited criticism from BJP Chief Ministers.
