CM Mamata Banerjee: Election Commission Should Not Act Like a Lollipop

Taking a jibe at the Election Commission of India, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday said that the poll body must stop acting like a lollipop while calling the BJP-led Central government a “Lollipop Sarkar”.

Addressing a gathering on the occasion of Trinamool Chatra Parishad (TMCP) foundation day, Mamata Banerjee hit out at the Centre and ECI over Special Intensive Revision (SIR).
“This is a ‘Lollipop Sarkar’. They are trying to threaten the BDO, SDO, DM, and Police. They are saying that either they will take away their jobs or put them in jail. The ECI comes and goes, but the State Government remains. The ECI has a lifespan of 3 months only during elections. Just like we have Lakshmir Bhandar, we also know about your ‘Corruption Bhandar’. I will expose everything,” West Bengal CM said.

“On one hand, there is the BJP; on the other hand, we have their friend, the Left Front. I respect the chair of the ECI. It suits children to have a lollipop, but it does not suit the ECI to act like a lollipop. This is Bengal. Kolkata was once the capital of undivided India. The British then changed it because they knew that even if they defeated other States, they could not fight us,” she added.

Accusations of Nepotism and Political Intimidation

She also launched a scathing attack at the BJP over the issue of nepotism in politics, claiming that the ruling party at the Centre is itself involved in it.
“They speak of dynasty politics. What about your son Amit Shah? Who is the ICC President? Is this not dynasty politics? Ask them how many of their family members are holding bureaucratic posts in different States! We do not give lollipops; we ensure democratic rights,” she said.

CM Mamata also said that people of Bengal will not “tolerate” the torture of the BJP here.
“We will not budge an inch. Trinamool was not formed out of mercy; we were formed with people’s love. Remember, in the coming elections, our seats will only increase. We do development and will continue to do more. But you take away people’s rights and torture the poor by branding them as Bangladeshis. For me, the poor are in my heart. I do not believe in discrimination, I believe in humanity,” she said.

“During the partition of Bangladesh, the people’s language was Bangla, that’s why they speak in Bangla… BJP is conducting a survey by bringing a 500-member team to delete names from the electoral roll. Don’t share your documents with them. Because they’re planning to collect your documents and remove your names from the voter list. Just take an Aadhar card because it’s mandatory ID proof,” she added.

Paid Films and Cultural Defamation Allegations

She further alleged that nowadays, paid films were being made to defame Bengal.
“Nowadays, they are making paid films to defame Bengal. They even referred to Khudiram Bose as Singh. I shared the document to point out the flaw. It was Khudiram Bose. Where were you when he was being hanged? Your forefathers did the dalali of the British and saved themselves by signing bonds,” CM said.

Meanwhile, director Vivek Agnihotri has unveiled the trailer of the film The Bengal Files on his social handle. Two-time National Award winner Vivek Agnihotri is returning to the big screens after his superhit film, The Kashmir Files, which starred Anupam Kher in the lead role. The film explores the communal violence in undivided Bengal during the 1940s, including events like the 1946 Direct Action Day and the Noakhali riots of 1946.

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