West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC chief Mamata Banerjee.
Credit: PTI Photo
Hooghly: West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday accused the BJP of hatching a conspiracy to snatch away school jobs and said she is now relieved that the Supreme Court has stayed the Calcutta High Court order cancelling nearly 26,000 jobs.
Speaking at back-to-back election rallies in Hooghly district, Banerjee alleged to derive political dividends, the BJP hatched a ‘sinister conspiracy’ that led to so many people losing jobs.
"The BJP snatched away the jobs of school teachers in West Bengal. They had hatched a conspiracy to take away those jobs. The party is now saying they will help those who lost their jobs. Because of elections, the Prime Minister is saying he is with those who lost their jobs. It is the BJP who was part of the court case that took away the jobs. Now they are making false promises,” the TMC supremo claimed.
Banerjee was referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remark last Friday when he directed the West Bengal BJP to establish a dedicated legal cell to assist 'genuine teachers and candidates' affected by the SSC scam.
“But truth has prevailed. After the Supreme Court verdict yesterday, I felt contented with the jobs being saved for the time being. I want to thank the Supreme Court for its order. I now feel relaxed,” she said.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld the Calcutta High Court order invalidating the appointment of 25,753 teachers and non-teaching staff made by the state's School Service Commission (SSC) in state-run and state-aided schools.
Speaking at an election rally at Arambagh in support of Trinamool Congress candidate Mitali Bagh, Banerjee alleged that the saffron party is paying money to the extent of Rs 5,000, Rs 10,000 and Rs 15,000 to people to purchase votes.
"The BJP leaders at present are former CPI(M) 'harmads' (anti-socials). If you don't want a reign of terror to usher in, then refrain from voting for the BJP," she said.
Banerjee said this election is to change the power equation in Delhi.
"This power equation in Delhi has to be altered and change has to be brought in", she said.
Alleging that a 'mistruth' about Sandeshkhali was spread by the BJP using money, Banerjee called upon leaders of that party to stop 'shedding crocodile tears' as the 'conspiracy hatched by them' has come to the fore with the unravelling of a recent sting operation.
About Sandeshkhali, Banerjee said, "Blatant lies were invented by the BJP, which plotted a conspiracy by giving money to some people to tell lies." A video on Saturday was released by a YouTube channel, in which a man, who claimed to be a BJP mandal president in Sandeshkhali, was heard saying that the leader of the opposition in the West Bengal assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, was behind the 'whole conspiracy'.
In the purported video, the authenticity of which could not be independently verified by PTI, the man was heard saying that Adhikari had asked him and other BJP leaders of the area to "instigate three-four local women to level allegations of rape against three TMC leaders, including Shajahan Sheikh".
"Did anyone ever imagine that BJP would stoop so low that it would spread canards on Sandeshkhali? Don't dishonour the mothers of West Bengal by levelling such heinous allegations," Banerjee said.
The TMC supremo said the BJP is in the habit of 'defaming' the people of Bengal.
"See how they have dishonoured the women of Sandeshkhali by paying money to make false rape allegations", she said.
The riverine Sandeshkhali area -- situated on the borders of the Sundarbans, about 100 kilometres from Kolkata -- has been on the boil in February with protests over allegations of sexual abuse and land grab against now arrested TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh and his supporters.
Attacking the BJP, she alleged that Prime Minister Narendra is always “resorting to lies from morning till night”.
"The BJP will drive away people using CAA and NRC. Minorities, adivasis and OBCs will face an existential crisis if Modi comes to power again", she said.
The Trinamool Congress leader said "Modi says that money meant for 100 days work had been pilfered by our party. Rather Rs 24 crore had been saved by the state government under 100 days work", she said.
"If Modi wins this time, everything will be lost. Also, there will be no elections in future", she said.