Voters know it’s a battle to save their rights: CM

Kolkata: The overwhelming turnout was because people knew this was their battle to save their rights after the large-scale deletion of voters in the SIR exercise, said chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday, shortly after the first phase of the election, which recorded a voters' turnout of nearly 90% till 5 pm.The high turnout meant a resounding vote in favour of Trinamool and against BJP, said Banerjee, who was speaking at a public meeting at Bowbazar Bank of India crossing as part of the campaign for the Chowringhee constituency, which along with 141 other constituencies in the second phase of the election, will go to the polls on April 29. "From my understanding of people's mind, we are already in a position to win, given the polling held so far on Thursday. People know that this is their battle to save their rights. They (BJP) will try to implement the NRC, they wanted to do delimitation. Their plan was to implement delimitation in the guise of the Women's Reservation Bill. Their plan was to increase the total seat count in the Lok Sabha to around 850 because they knew very well that they would not be able to come to power again with 543 seats," Banerjee said, countering Prime Minister Narendra Modi's claim that the high voter turnout in the first phase of Bengal Assembly election indicated an "overwhelming mandate for change"."On the day of polling, how can you (Prime Minister Modi), say that you are winning the election? Let people decide that. Do you mean that the EVMs are already rigged? How can you say that all votes are being cast in your favour?" she said. "I have heard that the commission that conducts the polls is spreading a fake narrative that there are chances of violence and rigging after 4 pm. Does that mean that you will try to capture the EVMs and try to rig the polls by using the central forces? Everything that you will do will backfire."Addressing traders in Bowbazar's BB Ganguly Street gold and jewellery hub, the chief minister reminded how she stood by them during demonetisation, compelled railway authorities to provide rehabilitation when a portion of the land in the area subsided during Metro construction and ensured proper supply of basic amenities during Covid without caring for her own life. "Our goldsmiths are famous across the country. We have taken several initiatives to boost the jewellery industry. Gems and Jewellery Park is founded in Ankurhati. In Salt Lake, we have Manikanchan. A gold hub has been established in Daspur. In Janbazar, we have brought 2,000 leather workers under a cooperative," Banerjee said. Next on Banerjee's itinerary was a rally in the Bhowanipore constituency, where she is pitted against BJP's Suvendu Adhikari. Starting from Bhowanipore Sitala Mandir on Sambhunath Pandit Street, she interacted with Sikhs at Gurdwara Sant Kutiya and members of Bharat Kshatriya Samaj on Harish Mukherjee Road. Among those present at the roadshow were Kolkata mayor Firhad Hakim, local councillors Kajari Banerjee, Ashim Basu, Sandip Bakshi and Papiya Singh.Residents, including children and the elderly, lined up on both sides of the street and greeted Banerjee, who waved at them and stopped at places to interact. The stretches, along which the roadshow progressed, were decked up with Trinamool flags, blue-and-white balloons, posters and banners. Many watched from their terraces and balconies as the CM greeted them with folded hands. The rally ended near Banerjee's Harish Chatterjee Street residence. She thereafter visited Parasdham, a Jain temple on Bakul Bagan Row. Bhowanipore has a significant Gujarati population. Later, at a rally in Layalka near Baghajatin, where Banerjee addressed voters from Jadavpur and Tollygunge, she said the BJP was destroying the democratic fabric. "They have no respect for the Constitution. They are out to damage the state financially," she said.
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