PM indulging in unfair politics, says Mamata

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday accused the Congress and Prime Minister Mammohan Singh of indulging in partial politics, taking favour from rival parties when needed irrespective of colour and ideology.

In an interview to a Bengali television channel, the firebrand chief minister said: “What were they doing when I was fighting all alone against the Marxists during the days of Nandigram and Singur.  At that time they were running the Central government with the help of the Left”.

Criticising Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for playing a similar role and not enquiring about her during her days of hunger strike against forceful acquisition of land in Bengal by Left, Banerjee said: “When I was on a hunger strike for 26 days against forceful land acquisition at that time the prime minister was in the city and he didn’t enquire about me because he was afraid that his Left friends would not like it.”

Lashing out at the Centre for overlooking the financial interest of the state, Banerjee said: “It has been nearly eight months that the state has witnessed a change of guard. The centre  is well aware of the financial crisis and the debt. But apart from blank promises we have not received a single penny... We requested for a tax holiday because 94 per cent of the state earnings goes for salaries, interests to the centre and pensions. With remaining six per cent, it is very hard to run the state but the centre has not agreed for a tax holiday,” she said.

Hinting that her party would continue to oppose the anti-people policies of the Centre, Banerjee said: “Our party is committed to the masses. Just like FDI in retail, Lokayukta clause in Lokpal bill and price rise of fuel, we had opposed when we had observed that certain policies will hurt the common man. We can’t let the common man suffer.”

Recently, during her campaign in Manipur, Banerjee had opposed Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA). She even visited Irom Sharmila who has completed a 12-year-fast against AFSPA.

Reiterating her stand she said: “Lot of injustice has been done to the people of Manipur. I have heard that cost of a gas cylinder is Rs 1800 in Manipur. Then there is law (AFSPA) which enables security persons to shoot at sight. This is really bad. I want Manipur to be peaceful”.

On the suicide of farmers, Banerjee said: “They (the opposition and media) are saying that many farmers have committed suicide. This is not right. Only one farmer has died during my tenure and that too is sad. I am ready to help the family members of the dead.