West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress Party (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee on Saturday charged the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre with targeting her party in lieu of her recent participation in a Congress event in remembrance of former prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru.
"Trinamool Congress Party is the only party after being created in 1998, with just a small newspaper, we pay returns to the Election Commission we do pay the Income Tax, which other political parties should do. Has anyone questioned where the BJP got so much money from during the elections? During the Maharashtra Elections, crores of money were spent, where posters were put up along National Highways, Why will there be any discrimination?" Banerjee asked.
"Is it because I went to attend Nehruji's programme that is why they are targeting us by arresting our leaders. I will go thousands times, a lakh times if there is a meeting of Secular Front, Federal Front. If you attack us and malign us, TMC answers back democratically. Learn from Bengal," she added while addressing her party MPs and MLAs here.
West Bengal Chief Minister also attacked Centre for creating an atmosphere of instability across the country.
"On one side there is a conspiracy, while on the other side there is a campaign of vilification. Today, I want to tell clearly, since the BJP has come to power at the Centre, an unstable situation is prevailing across the country," she said.
Mamata, who was addressing her party MPs and MLAs in Kolkata, further alleged that the ruling government put AIADMK supremo J. Jayalalithaa behind bars.
"In India, no one can speak because of fear. They put Jayalalithaa behind bars she couldnot speak up. When her party stages protests they are slapped with (Article) 355. I challenge you to enforce (Article) 356 against us. We are not born to come to power, for us people are most important and we value them," she added.
