“Amit Shah Is Right”: Mamata Banerjee’s Comeback With Opposition Twist

Kolkata:

Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s jibe on the Opposition’s ‘INDIA’ alliance drew a sharp response from West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, whose Trinamool Congress is a key constituent of the newly minted front.

Ms Banerjee said their alliance is in favour of the country, hours after Mr Shah appealed to the parties in the Opposition alliance not to support the Aam Aadmi Party over the proposed law that takes away control over officers from Delhi.

She also accused the BJP of supporting violence and expressed confidence that their alliance will win next year’s national elections.

Mr Shah, speaking in the parliament this morning, defended the government’s bill to override a Supreme Court order in favour of the Delhi government over control of officers and said that the Opposition parties should be concerned over Delhi and not just their alliance.

“I appeal to parties to not support all the corruption taking place in Delhi just because you are in an alliance. Because despite the alliance, PM Modi will win the election with a full majority,” the Home Minister said in the Parliament.

Responding to this, Ms Banerjee asserted Mr Shah said the right thing since Delhi’s victory would also mean a victory for the INDIA alliance.

“Our alliance is new. We have presence across the country. Of course, the INDIA government will form the alliance in Delhi, the capital. Delhi has our parliament. I do not know if intentionally or unintentionally he has said the right thing,” she said referring to Amit Shah.

Ms Banerjee said the INDIA alliance has presence across the country and it must win to save the country from a “disaster, communal tension, and unemployment.”

“India is our motherland and this INDIA alliance is for our motherland. That’s why NDA has no value. They have not held a meeting for so many years. Whoever was with them earlier have left,” she told reporters at state secretariat Nabanna.

The Chief Minister also hit out at the BJP over “saffronisation”.

“Creating terror is their tradition, not the constitution. Sometimes I am ashamed. Dalits, tribals and minorities are being tortured. Even reporters are being asked if they are Hindu or Muslim. They think there is no other way apart from violence,” said Ms Banerjee.

“They will choose violence and turn everything saffron. It’s not that we dislike the saffron colour. But if the entire country is saffron, where will the other colours go? Saffron is a divine colour associated with our gods and sacrifice. If they use it to refer to torture, people will not accept it,” she added.

Amit Shah participated in the discussion on the Delhi services bill in both Houses of the Parliament today, during which he attacked the AAP and Opposition parties which have backed Mr Kejriwal. After his Rajya Sabha address, the Delhi services bill was passed in the Lok Sabha.