Mamata attacks Centre for using agencies to terrorise people, says not afraid of anyone

Patna (Bihar) [India], August 27 (ANI): West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Government at the Centre of trying to "scare" Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav by using the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Addressing the 'Desh Bachao-Bhajpa Bhagao' rally here, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief said, "The Centre is using agencies to terrorise people, who dare to speak against it. But I am not afraid of anyone."

Attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Banerjee said that three years of his governance have passed, but there is not a trace of "acche din".

Banerjee said the crowd's response reflects the people's mood in Bihar, as they stayed at the Gandhi Maidan for hours to attend the rally.

"I am saddened by the suffering caused by the floods in Bihar. We know the voice of the people. We know what they want. This huge crowd says it all," she added.

Continuing her tirade against the BJP, the TMC supremo said in the next election the people of Bihar will not support Nitish Kumar and the BJP.

"As Laluji and Sharadji are the kind of leaders that can be trusted, not everyone can take the masses for a ride. Nitish Kumar took votes in Lalu's name and look what happened," she said.

Talking about the ongoing violence in Panchkula, Banerjee said the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) can spread violence, but cannot control even one and as was evident in Panchkula.

Blaming the Centre for hampering the country's economy, she said "They (the Centre) threaten everybody. Every single person is suffering."

"What they had said before demonetisation, nothing has happened. The country has to face loss, because of demonetisation. The economic condition of the country has deteriorated because of it. People do not know how much money has been deposited with the RBI after demonetisation," she added.

Meanwhile, taking a jibe at Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's recent flip-flop over support to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and dissolution of the Grand Alliance in the state, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav on Sunday said the former is a political turncoat and is hungry for power.

Addressing the 'Desh Bachao-Bhajpa Bhagao' rally here, the former deputy chief minister said there is not even a single person left who Nitish Kumar has not betrayed ('aisa koi saga nahin, jisey Nitish ne thagaa nahin').

RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav's mega rally 'BJP bhagao, Desh bachao' in Patna's Gandhi Maidan saw participation from Samajwadi Party leader and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav, Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Benerjee, as well as rebel JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav, who is staring at an expulsion from the party for defying orders.

"Earlier it was rally of the RJD, but now it has become a rally of Mahagatbandhan (grand alliance) to save the country," Sharad Yadav told reporters at Jay Prakash Narayan Airport in Patna on his arrival on Saturday.

Asked about his party warning that participation in the rally would invite action against him, Sharad Yadav refused to make any comment saying "Kuch nahi bolna hain" (I have nothing to say).

Meanwhile, a lot of other senior leaders from other parties also shared the dais with RJD leader Lalu Prasad.

Earlier, the RJD chief said that the rally would be an important event ahead of 2019 Lok Sabha polls in which a united opposition would throw the BJP out of power. (ANI)

This story has not been edited. It has been published as provided by ANI