Kolkata, 23 January (H.S.): At an event held on Red Road in Kolkata to commemorate Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's birth anniversary, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee launched a scathing attack on the central government and the Election Commission without naming them directly. Responding to the controversy surrounding her surname, she said that she writes her surname as ‘Bandyopadhyay’ in Bengali and ‘Banerjee’ in English, and there should be no problem with that. She added that she had nothing to do but condemn those who fail to understand this small difference.

The Chief Minister alleged that attempts were being made to remove the names of tribals and Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes from the electoral rolls. She also questioned why people were being asked for their parents' birth certificates. In this context, Mamata Banerjee said that a tribal girl who works at her home told her that all members of her family had been summoned. She claimed that economist Amartya Sen was also summoned regarding the age difference between his parents.

In her speech, Mamata Banerjee sarcastically remarked, Will they now ask whether someone will get married or not, whether they will fall in love or not, or whether they will have children or not? She added ironically, Will we now need permission even to have children?

The Chief Minister reiterated her opposition to the Special Intensive Rivision process. She said that the Trinamool Congress had already registered its objection with the Election Commission against this process. She raised this issue from the Netaji Jayanti platform, although she also stated that she was not talking about politics, but about the lives and rights of ordinary people.

In her speech, Mamata Banerjee said, “A human life is very precious. Today we are fighting against the Kauravas, people are fighting against demons. Today you are in power, but tomorrow when you are not in power, you will have to run away.”

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Hindusthan Samachar / Priyanka Pandey