West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday led a 'padayatra' or foot march in Siliguri to protest against rising fuel prices, including that of LPG cylinders, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed his first rally in Kolkata before the assembly elections in the eastern state to be held later this month.
Banerjee started the march from Siliguri’s Darjeeling More around 2pm and was accompanied by thousands of supporters and her cabinet colleague Chandrima Bhattacharya and Trinamool Congress’ lawmakers Mimi Chakraborty and Nusrat Jahan. The chief minister and others were seen carrying cardboard replicas of LPG cylinders as she led the protest, which is being seen as a counter to PM Modi’s massive rally at the Brigade Parade Ground in the state’s capital city.
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“The Prime Minister must answer why the prices of LPG, petrol and diesel have gone up. The Bengal government provides free rice to the people but they have to spend ₹900 to buy an LPG cylinder,” she said while addressing the rally in Bengali. “The Prime Minister says there will be poriborton (change in Bengali) in Bengal. There won’t be any change in Bengal and Trinamool Congress will continue in the state. There will be a poriborton in Delhi. You will have to go,” she said.
State minister Bhattacharya said the march was organised ahead of International Women's Day and that scores of women have extended their support, news agency ANI said.
{{/usCountry}}State minister Bhattacharya said the march was organised ahead of International Women's Day and that scores of women have extended their support, news agency ANI said.
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"BJP is looting people by regularly hiking LPG prices. Women have been hit the hardest and I'm disgusted at the Centre's lack of intent to cut taxes and lessen their burden. In protest, today I'll be leading an all-women michil at Siliguri. REDUCE LPG PRICES NOW!” Banerjee tweeted before the march.
Banerjee had last month warned the Centre of launching a bigger protest if it does not reduce the prices of fuel. "The prices of fuel have been increased by double even when the crude oil prices have reduced by 50 per cent in the international market. If they do not reduce the prices we will start a bigger protest. Farmers are already agitating on the streets. If the common people also come to the streets, then Modi babu cannot do anything. Intimidating with agencies will not work,” she told reporters, according to ANI.
She also drove an electric scooter to travel to her residence in Kalighat from state secretariat 'Nabanna' in Howrah as a mark of protest against the fuel price hike.
In Kolkata, the Prime Minister launched a scathing attack on Banerjee, saying West Bengal relied on her for ushering in a change but she broke people’s trust and insulted them. "Bengal relied on Mamata Didi for change. But Didi and her cadre broke this trust. These people broke the trust of Bengal. These people insulted Bengal and tortured the sisters and daughters here. But these people could not break the hope and courage of the people in the state," he said.
He also said there is the TMC, Left and Congress on one side and the people of West Bengal on the other side. "The dream of 'Sonar Bangla' will be fulfilled. I have come here today to assure you of Bengal's development, to increase investment here, to protect Bengal's culture and to bring change," he added.
West Bengal assembly elections will be held in eight phases from March 27 and end on April 29. Votes will be counted on May 2. The Trinamool Congress is facing a resurgent Bharatiya Janata Party, which made deep inroads in the eastern state in the Lok Sabha elections in 2019. The BJP won 18 seats out of the 42 Lok Sabha constituencies in West Bengal and the TMC's tally was reduced to 22. A confident BJP is targeting over 200 seats in the 294-member assembly this year.
(With agency inputs)