Mamata dares Modi govt to arrest her

Upping the ante against the Modi government, which she has been targeting over demonetisation, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today dared the Centre to arrest her and warned it against "touching" state government officers. "You don't have to touch anybody. You arrest me. I challenge you, if you have the guts you arrest all of us, nothing will deter us from raising out voice against demonetisation.

"Demonetisation is a big scam. We want to know what is the deal. We will say it thousand times," she told a public meeting here. Banerjee alleged that to weaken the state governments, the Centre was targeting its officers warning, "If you try to touch any of our officers, you will not be allowed to go scot-free. You have the laws, the state government too has laws in its hands."

"We must win the battle as people are with us. As long as I live, I shall fight alone if required," she said. Earlier in the day, she criticised the Modi government over the I-T raid at the residence of Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary P Rama Mohana Rao, saying such a "vindictive and unethical" act by the central agencies devalued the institution of head of the civil service.

"Why this vindictive, unethical, technically improper action? Is it only to disturb the federal structure? Why do not they raid Amit Shah and others," she said. Attacking the Centre, she said," They pose as sages and are dubbing others as thieves."

Strongly criticising the "harassment of opposition leaders, government officials and general people by the central agencies like CBI, ED and IT", Banerjee said such actions would not deter her from criticising it.

Meanwhile, slamming Banerjee for her "unconstitutional comments" against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP hit back, saying "Those who are prime accused in chit fund scams should not talk big about corruption".

"What about Saradha and Rose Valley scam? They should be ashamed of themselves. The TMC are an apt example of the proverb 'the mother of thief shouts the loudest'," BJP national secretary Siddharth Nath Singh said.

Banerjee also alleged Narendra Modi and Amit Shah duo was "destroying" the country and its democracy with "communal instigation, revenge politics and anti-people policies".

She said demonetisation has dragged the poor and middle class people into a difficult situation and made their lives "miserable". "People are not being able to withdraw money against 100 days' work. This should not be paid through Paytm. Centre cannot dictate people where to keep their money," Banerjee said.

"The worst sufferers are those in the unorganised sector. Rural economy is mostly dependent on cooperative banks, but these banks are not getting supply of money," she said.

She called upon the people to drive away "Modi government to save the country, its democracy and people from utter destruction". The Chief Minister, earlier, inaugurated and laid foundation stones for a bunch of projects for East Midnapore district here.

These projects included, among others, a power sub-station, kisan bazaars, a marketing hub, a fire station, solar powered irrigation projects, government offices, a host of road projects, CCTV control room for Digha, road projects, river bank renovation projects and godowns for agicultural produce.