Published 23:58 IST, September 13th 2019
Mamata Banerjee's 25 comments at Anti-NRC Rally you can’t miss
Mamata Banerjee at the Anti-NRC rally in Kolkata thrashed the BJP and other external parties. She further stressed on economy, Bengali culture, and cowphobia
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Mamata Banerjee, the Chief Minister of West Bengal, held a rally on Thursday at Shyambazar, an area in North Kolkata. This rally was conducted to protest against the implementations of central government's National Register of Citizens of India (NRC) programme. Trinamool supremo and Bengal CM Mamata repeatedly challenged the Centre in particular, trashing every external political party at the rally. She led the protest march from Sinthee, Dumdum to Shyambazar five-point crossing, 5 kilometres away, in North Kolkata to protest against the NRC in Assam.
25 comments by Mamata Banerjee that you cannot miss
Mamata Banerjee, being her usual self, made scathing comments during the rally. There have been unmissable moments and comments from the agitated Chief Minister where she was aggressively trying to thrash the BJP. In an effort to constantly try and invoke the Bengal pride, she spoke of dignitaries and icons of the golden period of the Bengal era in order to remind the Bengalis why the state and its people do not require outside influences. Down below are 25 comments made by Mamata Banerjee during the rally in Kolkata -
1. 'Anyone who will try to collude with Bengalis, will be torn to pieces.' Banerjee referred to her previous statement 'Jo humse takrayega chur chur ho jayega' in the rally. She had earlier made this statement during the swearing-in of HD Kumaraswamy as the Chief Minister of Karnataka. She has also used this famous statement for the Muslim community in Kolkata, stating that they have nothing to fear for as long as she is alive, she would fight for them in the State.
2. 'We despise NRC, We despise BJP,' the CM said. Mamata Banerjee stated that the people of the state despise the NRC and added that the people also despise the BJP for its authoritarian ways.
3. 'No Congress, No Left, only the TMC can fight the BJP.' The Chief Minister announced that no party has the guts to face the BJP. Not the Congress or the Left has enough power to be able to stand tall in front of the BJP. She further went on to add that only the TMC can fight against the atrocities of the BJP.
4. 'This is our homeland. We will fight for it.' Trinamool supremo tried to invoke a sense of Bengali patriotism during the rally. She reminded the Bengalis present in the rally that this is their homeland. Hence, everyone present should fight for it. Banerjee stated that everyone must ensure that there are no external influences of communalism in the state. Therefore, people must fight every day to ensure that the idea of Bengal is retained.
5. 'Do not be afraid of the fight, let's keep moving.' CM Banerjee asserted that people need not be afraid of the fight. She assured that she will stand with them in every way possible. Banerjee asked the people to keep moving to ensure that they win the fight.
6. 'We belong to the land of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. In the pre-independence era, he had created the INA to fight against the external enemy.' Speaking about the late freedom fighter Bose, Banerjee illustrated how Bose was instrumental in bringing upon a change in the system with his brave ways. In order to motivate the crowd to feel a sense of patriotism towards the Bengali culture, she further added that everyone present at the rally must remember that they belong to the land of Bose, one of the bravest fighters to drive the British away.
7. 'Bose said if you give me blood, I will give you independence.' Mamata Banerjee reminded people of the famous wordings of Bose, stating that if you shed blood, you shall attain independence from external elements.
8. 'We do not say Jai Sri Ram, We say Vande Mataram.' Taunting the Hindu nationalists, Banerjee in a scathing statement asserted that we do not need to say 'Jai Sri Ram' as it is not a part of our culture. We believe in 'Vande Mataram' which roughly translates to 'Mother, I bow to thee.' The term 'Vande Mataram was coined by Indian poet and writer late Bankim Chandra Chatterjee to invoke a sense of patriotism amongst the people in the pre-independence era.
9. 'Bengal's land, Bengal's water.' Banerjee quoted the famous song of Rabindranath Tagore which speaks of Kolkata's land, water, air, and fruit. She asked the people to listen to the famous song of Tagore to grasp hold of what it means to be a Bengali. Further, in a move to try and agitate the crowd, she announced no one should be able to divide Bengal and segregate the people again.
10. 'Bengali Culture is being neglected' After quoting famous dignitaries from Bengali, Banerjee stated that the culture of Bengal is being neglected. She asked the people to go back and see where they came from and how it is important for the people to not devise a method to segregate humans as it is not a part of the culture.
11. 'In Bengal, if we ask Biharis to leave, where would they go?' Mamata Banerjee announced that she will not ask anyone living in the state of West Bengal to leave. Further adding that, if she were to ask the Bihars living in Bengal to leave, they would not have a place to go elsewhere as Bengal is their home now.
'Do not play with fire'
12. 'Do not play with fire.' The CM threatened the Centre stating that they should not play with fire because if they do, then the people of Bengal are also ready to go for a fight.
13. 'Protest if anyone tries to divide the country.' In lieu of NRC, Banerjee asked the people what would they do if someone tried to divide them. She responded herself stating that they should protest and fight back till then win.
14. 'We have Gorkhas, Buddhists, Muslims. How do we choose?' Criticising the NRC, Banerjee announced that it is impossible for West Bengal to make a choice as there are people living in the state from different communities and she cannot make a choice.
15. 'Let's fight for our identity. We will never accept the NRC.' Banerjee announced that the TMC will never accept the NRC. She refused to ask people for official identifications, stating that it would further segregate them.
16. 'After 100 years of independence, we are being asked to identify ourselves.' In a laughable comment, Banerjee stated that we have achieved over 100 years of independence. She asked the centre why is it that we are being asked to identify ourselves now when it has been such a long time.
17. 'Do not try to teach us religion.' The Chief Minister of Bengal took a religious turn during the Anti-NRC rally. She stated that Bengal celebrates Ganapati puja, Durga Puja along with Eid. Banerjee warned the Centre asking them not to preach religion to Bengal.
18. 'I have seen enough riots in the country.' Mamata Banerjee in a statement declared that she has seen enough riots in the country. Hence, no outsider should be preaching religion to her party.
19. 'We drink cows milk. You drink goats milk and be healthy.' Banerjee during this statement tried to mock the BJP and PM Narendra Modi as he stated a while back that people do not like words like 'Cow' or 'Om' as they feel like they are going back in time.
20. 'I do Yoga and I say Om.' The Chief Minister in a statement to mock the PM notified the public that she has been practising Yoga and chanting Om for years now. Whereas the PM has only started preaching it recently.
21. 'Maa, Amma or Ammi, a personal choice.' Banerjee said that it is the people's choice to call their mothers as Maa, Amma or Ammi. We should not be teaching people what to say and how to say it.
22. 'Does BJP have the guts to take Bengal's culture down? I do not think so.' In a way to constantly mock and challenge the BJP, Banerjee asked the party in the Centre if they have the guts to take the Bengali culture down.
23. 'Two crore people have lost their jobs. People do not even buy cars anymore.' Diverting from the topic of NRC, Banerjee spoke of the economy and stated that people across the country are suffering from unemployment.
24. 'Hahakar in the country.' Banerjee stated that there is a 'Hahakar' in the country which roughly translates to 'hue and cry' as a consequence of the stagnant economy.
25. 'Joy Hind, Joy Bangla' after the incessant mocking of the BJP, Banerjee ended by hailing India and Bengal.
16:41 IST, September 12th 2019