Mamata to protest at Jantar Mantar

After parting ways with the UPA, Trinamool Congress leader and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee will for the first time lead a demonstration in New Delhi today against "anti-people" decisions of the Centre. Making a career of it

After parting ways with the UPA, Trinamool Congress leader and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee will for the first time lead a demonstration in New Delhi on Monday against "anti-people" decisions of the Centre.

"It is an unprecedented decision by Banerjee to hold a rally at Jantar Mantar in the national capital to press the Centre to review its decisions on FDI in retail, cap on subsidised LPG and diesel price hike," Trinamool Congress MP KD Singh said on Sunday.

He said the demonstration was part of the party's resolve to show solidarity with the 'aam admi' who has been hurt the most by such decisions.

"Withdrawing from the UPA was the first step. A series of protests have been planned in the coming days till the decisions are withdrawn," he said. When asked whether Trinamool Congress would support a resolution in Parliament against FDI if it is brought by BJP, former railway minister Mukul Roy evaded a direct reply.

"Who brings what is not the issue. The actual issue is the decision of the government which is anti-people...the then finance minister (Pranab Mukherjee) had assured Parliament that any decision on FDI will be taken after consulting all stakeholders and after evolving a consensus. That has not happened," he rued.

In her Facebook post, Banerjee had recently said: "Let us fight the battle boldly and unitedly. In a democracy, people are supreme. Our voice is the voice of the people. We must raise our voice, so that the government must reconsider."

"Looting is on in the name of aam aadmi and reforms," Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee hit out on Saturday.

Trinamool Congress leaders were busy brushing up their Hindi recently as party chief Mamata Banerjee plans to take her fight against FDI in multi-brand retail to Delhi and various other states later. Hindi speakers are expected to get priority in the party's agitations outside Bengal.

"Our leader herself can speak in Hindi. It is the medium of communication for a pan-India audience. Therefore, it is natural that Hindi speakers will get priority (to speak at protest rallies). We want more Hindi speakers," said a senior MP close to Banerjee.

"Our senior leaders, most of who are Bengalis, are also brushing up their Hindi-speaking skills. This will help them reach out to the people," the MP added.

Banerjee is to lead an agitation at Delhi's Jantar Mantar against the Centre's decision to allow FDI in retail, the diesel price hike and putting a limit on households using subsidised LPG.

She recently withdrew from UPA-2 in protest and announced that the Trinamool would organise agitations to demand a rollback of the government's "anti-people" decisions.

Banerjee is expected to address the rally at Jantar Mantar in Hindi and some of the other speakers are likely to follow suit.

The party has a few Hindi-speaking leaders such as KD Singh from Haryana, Sultan Ahmed and Dinesh Trivedi. Besides, Mukul Roy, Sudip Bandopadhyay and Subrata Bakshi can manage to speak in Hindi.

(With PTI inputs)