Kolkata: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee speaks during the inauguration of Jagodhatri Puja, at Posta in Kolkata, Friday, Nov. 17, 2023.
PTI Photo
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, on Friday, alleged that “they” – the BJP-led government at the Centre – were spending on advertising.
She claimed that had the Centre instead utilised funds for paying 100-day rural job beneficiaries – reminding of the fund-freeze to the state – then the workers would not have faced difficult times.
“Stay united. Don’t listen to anyone… We work, and they (the BJP) go for advertisements. Had they offered the advertisement money to workers, instead, then workers wouldn’t have cried for the 100-day work money,” Banerjee said, addressing a gathering at a function for inaugurating Jagadhatri Puja, in north Kolkata’s Posta, a business locality.
Talking of her dislike for such expenses on publicity, she said that a person who’s remembered by the common people, will be remembered the most.
The chief minister said that she believes that the Indian cricket team will win the World Cup. She said that the team’s dress-colour for the practice was kept saffron, and so are Metro stations being offered the shade.
Talking further about publicity, she recalled that BSP leader Mayawati had her statue made, but such instances have not been heard about others. Talking in the context of Centre’s publicity efforts, she said that this cannot, ever, go on.
The chief minister added that there’s no objection when publicity is in the name of the country, or any national leader from any state. “What is this thing? This is not the thing for eating, it’s for showing off. Showing-off will yield results at times, but not permanent benefits,” she said.
The “chair” – the power – she said, comes, and also goes away, she said, adding that her prayer to the Mother Goddess, and to other deities, is that there be peace in the country, and the world. “Let there be no division amongst us, no divide-and-rule. Let people observe their festivals,” she said.
Banerjee said that she has the information that over 70,000 businessmen and industrialists have left the country. “They could have invested in the country. This money is going out of the country. This is why I would say that let good sense prevail…and I am proud to say that Bengal will lead the country, once again,” she added.