India staring at food crisis & famine because of 'junk party' BJP: WB CM Mamata Banerjee

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday claimed that the country is staring at a food crisis and famine because of the "adamant" approach of the BJP government over farmers' demand of withdrawing of the agriculture reform laws. She also called the BJP a "junk" party for inducting "rotten" leaders from other political outfits.

'There will be famine and food shortage': Mamata Banerjee

Addressing a rally in Nadia district, Mamata Banerjee said, "The country is staring at a food crisis. There will be famine and food shortage if the BJP continues to remain adamant on the farm laws. The Centre is trying to create famine through these farm bills. The farmers are assets of our country and we should not do anything that goes against their interest," she said. 

The TMC chief also demanded the immediate repeal of the three farm laws as sought by farmers agitating at Delhi's borders. "We stand by the farmers and their demands. On one hand, the BJP is lecturing us on farmers' issues and on the other it is torturing the farmers who are protesting against the laws. So many farmers were beaten up in Haryana and Punjab," she said.

Attacking the BJP for inducting leaders from other parties, Banerjee said the saffron outfit had turned itself into a washing machine where "tainted leaders come out clean after joining it".

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'BJP is the biggest junk party'

"BJP is the biggest junk party in the country. It's a dustbin party filling up its rank and file with corrupt and rotten leaders from other parties. You must have seen some (TMC) leaders switch over to the BJP. They have done it to protect the public money they had looted. We were removing them from our party. The BJP runs the party like a washing machine, where corrupt leaders turn into saints the moment they join them," she said.

Alleging that there's virtual "dictatorship" in the country, Banerjee said the saffron party uses either money or muscle power to poach leaders from other parties. Talking about the recent defections from the TMC, Banerjee said the BJP might have "bought a few leaders", but it can never buy her off.

Reacting to Banerjee's comments, West Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh said the TMC leader has sensed that the days of her government are numbered. "Why is she now calling leaders who have joined the BJP corrupt? If they were corrupt, then why did the TMC government not take any action against them for so many years?" he asked.

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(With PTI inputs)