Mamata Banerjee sympathises with arrested TMC leaders in scams

Krishnanagar: Amid the arrests of senior Trinamool Congress leaders in various cases, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said that those who have committed mistakes should be given a chance to rectify them.

The allegations of corruption against TMC leaders have been blown out of proportion, claimed Banerjee who is also the party supremo.

"If one or two persons commit a mistake, the entire party should not be blamed. There is an attempt to tarnish the entire party - as if everyone is a thief. The leaders of the BJP are the biggest thieves.

“If someone has committed any mistake, the person should be given a chance to rectify those mistakes," Banerjee said while addressing a party workers' meeting at Krishnanagar in Nadia district.

Her comments come in the backdrop of the recent arrest of Trinamool Congress MLA Manik Bhattacharya for his alleged involvement in “irregularities” in recruiting primary school teachers.

In July, the ED arrested former education minister Partha Chatterjee in the School Service Commission recruitment scam (SSC scam), while the CBI arrested TMC Birbhum district president Anubrata Mondal in August for allegedly being involved in cattle smuggling.

The TMC supremo cautioned party MLAs in the faction-ridden Nadia district saying that those who indulge in infighting would be thrown out of the party.

"I will request all MLAs in the region to stop fighting among themselves. If you don't stop infighting, you have no place in this party. If you have an ego, you better stay at home; you won't be needed. If you want to serve people, then go out and work for the people," she said.

The TMC boss said infighting sends out a wrong message and provides an advantage to the opposition forces.

"I will be setting up a coordination committee, in which the MP of the region, MLAs of the region and the Zilla Parishad president will be part. We will work together for the betterment of the region. If the TMC stays united, no BJP, CPI(M) or Congress will be able to fight against us," she said.

Referring to the panchayat poll in the state due next year, the chief minister claimed that all these opposition parties come together whenever the elections approach.

"The CPI (M) and the BJP have a secret understanding. This is the truth that everyone should know," she said.

Banerjee wondered what the public representatives of the saffron camp have done for the district.

Out of the two Lok Sabha seats in Nadia district, the BJP snatched the Ranghat constituency from the TMC in 2019.

"I request the people of Ranaghat not to listen to the lies perpetuated by the BJP. Before every election, these BJP leaders begin lying only to secure your vote and then vanish for the rest of their tenure. The TMC stands by you through thick and thin," she said.

While listing various developmental projects for the district, Banerjee said the state government had provided land for setting up an AIIMS at Ranaghat.