By IANS,
Kolkata : West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Thursday slammed critics and said her Trinamool Congress party’s victory in the assembly polls earlier this year was the result of three decades of a sustained movement and not solely because of protests on the Singur, Nandigram and Netai issues.
Penning a guest column in Bengali daily Sambad Pratidin, Banerjee came down heavily on criticism of her government recently by intellectuals, social activists and NGOs who had supported her during her fight as an opposition leader against the then ruling Left Front.
“Singur, Nandigram and Netai were big movements. The views of some are that the ‘parivartan’ (change) in the state has been caused by these three issues. Of course, some people have taken part in one or two rallies and processions involving these issues. I respect them. But I cannot accept a motivated campaign,” she said.
“It is wrong to say that parivartan came because some people participated in these movements. I will say the change was brought about by a long and sustained struggle spread over three decades,” she said.
“Those who work among the masses, they only understand the people’s aspirations. A motley band of individuals, who have no connect with the masses, and whose face and mask speak different languages, say motivated things. They are unrelated to public interest,” said Banerjee, who rode to power in May ending the 34-year-long rule of the Left Front in the state.
Alleging that some individuals at times set up organisations, trusts and NGOs to dupe people and serve their own interests, Banerjee said: “I always prefer to stay away from them. But at the same time I salute the Ramakrishna Mission, the Bharat Sevashram Sangha and similar organisations working for Muslims, Christians and other communities for their selfless service.”
The chief minister’s comments came three days after writer Mahasweta Devi called her government fascist for denying permission to human rights organisation Association for Protection of Democratic Rights (APDR) to hold a rally at Metro Channel area here.
The APDR and several other organisations, writers like Tarun Sanyal, singer Pratul Mukhopadhyay and social activist Anuradha Talwar have criticised Banerjee for issues like the alleged non-fulfilment of her pre-poll promise to withdraw joint forces from the Maoist-affected districts and set political prisoners free.
The arrest of a veteran trade union leader Prafulla Chakraborty also sparked public outrage.
Banerjee said she had spent 20-30 years of her life agitating on the streets. “Then I did not find anybody with me. How come now there are so many big claims about parivartan from those who have only taken part in two-three rallies during the last two-three years of our struggle?” she asked.
“Those who are talking so much now, only participated in those rallies when people started believing that the CPI-M (Communist Party of India-Marxist) can be defeated after sustained movement by my colleagues,” said the chief minister.
“My body is bruised from the way I was beaten up black and blue during my agitations. But still I am and will be with the people. But why should I listen to the false propaganda of those who never risked their lives in the cause of the masses?” she said.