Dynamite News Pegasus row: Mamata Banerjee attacks Centre, calls Opposition to unite against threat to democracy
Slamming the BJP-led Central government over the ongoing Pegasus controversy, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday pitched for Opposition unity against the 'threat to democracy' in the 'surveillance state'.
Kolkata: Slamming the BJP-led Central government over the ongoing Pegasus controversy, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday pitched for Opposition unity against the 'threat to democracy' in the 'surveillance state'.
Speaking during the virtual address on the occasion of Martyr's Day, Trinamool chief said she would be visiting the national capital from July 27 to July 29 and would be keen on meeting the opposition leaders.
Accusing the BJP of "bulldozing the federal structure" of the country, Banerjee said she has plastered the camera of her phone. "Our phones are tapped. Pegasus is dangerous and ferocious. I cannot talk to anyone. You are paying too much money for spying. I have plastered my phone. We should also plaster the Centre otherwise country will be destroyed," she stated.
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She 'congratulated' the people of the country and West Bengal for voting for her party, and said, "We fought against money, muscle, mafia power, and all agencies. Despite all odds, we won because people in Bengal voted for us and we received blessings from people in the country, world."
Asking the Opposition to unite against the BJP juggernaut, Banerjee conveyed her 'humble regards' to all national, local leaders, including Sharad Pawar, P Chidamabaram, Digvijay Singh, Ram Gopal Yadav, Jaya Bachchan, Sanjay Singh, Manoj Jha and Priyanka Chaturvedi.
"We have to unite together. Our self-interest is to save people and the federal structure to save the country. The Prime Minister is not ashamed of saying that Uttar Pradesh is the best state where bodies were floating in river Ganga. We collected the corpse and cremated them, which was their work. Over four lakh people died due to Covid because of you (BJP), because of lack of oxygen," she said.
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She asked NCP chief Sharad Pawar to call a meeting while she was in Delhi to discuss uniting the whole Opposition as one front. "I request all parties to form one front and work unitedly. Next week I am going to Delhi to meet people in the Parliament. I would like to meet all Opposition leaders on July 27, July 28, and July 29. Sharad Ji, you can call a meeting on these days and I will attend it," the West Bengal Chief Minister said.
Going back to her clarion call of 'Khela Hobe' (Game is on), Banerjee said, "'Khela' will happen in all states until BJP is removed from the country. We'll celebrate 'Khela Diwas' on August 16. We will give footballs to poor children. Today, our freedom is at stake. BJP has endangered our liberty. They don't trust their own ministers and misuse agencies."
Targetting the BJP-led central government on fuel price hikes and unavailability of COVID-19 vaccines, she said, "Look at the petrol prices. The Government of India collected Rs 3.7 lakh crore from fuel tax alone. Where is the money going? No vaccines are available. You want to create a surveillance state. Ministers' phones have been tapped. Judges' phones have been tapped. Pegasus spyware intercepted the phones of judiciary, politicians, media persons," Banerjee added. (ANI)