Country staring at food crisis, famine because of BJP: Mamata

The country is staring ata food crisis and famine because of the adamant approach ofthe BJP to the continued agitation by farmers for withdrawalof the three new farm laws, West Bengal Chief Minister MamataBanerjee said on Monday.She also called the BJP a junk party for inductingrotten leaders from other political outfits.Reaffirming her opposition to the NRC, CAA and NPR,Banerjee, while reaching out to the Nadia districts Matuapopulation, said all refugees will be granted land rights, andno one can banish them from the country.The country is staring at a food crisis.

The country is staring ata food crisis and famine because of the ''adamant'' approach ofthe BJP to the continued agitation by farmers for withdrawalof the three new farm laws, West Bengal Chief Minister MamataBanerjee said on Monday.

She also called the BJP a ''junk'' party for inducting''rotten'' leaders from other political outfits.

Reaffirming her opposition to the NRC, CAA and NPR,Banerjee, while reaching out to the Nadia district's Matuapopulation, said all refugees will be granted land rights, andno one can banish them from the country.

''The country is staring at a food crisis. There willbe famine and food shortage if the BJP continues to remainadamant on the farm laws. The Centre is trying to createfamine through these farm bills.

''The farmers are assets of our country and we shouldnot do anything that goes against their interest,'' she said,addressing a TMC rally here in Nadia district.

The TMC supremo also demanded immediate repeal of thethree farm laws as sought by farmers agitating at Delhi'sborders.

''We stand by the farmers and their demands. On onehand the BJP is lecturing us on farmers' issues and on theother it is torturing the farmers who are protesting againstthe laws. So many farmers were beaten up in Haryana andPunjab,'' she said.

Unleashing a stinging attack on the BJP over the partyinducting a raft of leaders from other political parties,including her own, Banerjee said the saffron outfit had turneditself into a washing machine where ''tainted leaders come outclean after joining it''.

''BJP is the biggest junk party in the country. It's adustbin party filling up its rank and file with corrupt androtten leaders from other parties.

''You must have seen some (TMC) leaders switch over tothe BJP. They have done it to protect the public money theyhad looted. We were removing them from our party. The BJP runsthe party like a washing machine, where corrupt leaders turninto saints the moment they join them,'' she said.

Alleging that there's virtual ''dictatorship'' in thecountry, Banerjee said the saffron party uses either money ormuscle power to poach leaders from other parties.

Talking about the recent defections from the TMC,Banerjee said the BJP might have ''bought a few leaders'', butit can never buy her off.

''They (BJP) are afraid of me as I have not bowed downbefore them,'' she asserted.

Slamming the saffron camp over the Citizenship(amendment) Act, the TMC boss said, those born in this countryare its legitimate citizens.

''All refugee colonies in the state have beenrecognised by the West Bengal government. All refugee familieswill have land holding rights. We have started the process andseveral families have already got it.

''No one can remove you from here. You are born hereand are citizens of this country. You don't need the BJP'scertificate to prove your citizenship,'' she asserted.

Reaching out to the Matua community that constitutesroughly 40 per cent population of Nadia district, Banerjeesaid, the BJP was trying to ''fool'' them with the promise ofcitizenship.

''I want to assure everyone that no one needs to beafraid of the NRC, NPR and CAA.'' The Matuas, originally from East Pakistan, are ascheduled caste group, who entered India, particularly WestBengal, after Partition and creation of Bangladesh. While manyof them have got Indian citizenship, a sizeable number hasnot.

The BJP had made significant gains in the district inthe last Lok Sabha polls and bagged the Ranaghat seat. Nadiahas two Lok Sabha seats.

She exuded confidence about returning to power for thethird consecutive time with an even bigger mandate.

She also drew a parallel between BJP cadres and USPresident Donald Trump's supporters who stormed the Capitolrecently.

''They have ruined the entire country, and now theywant to ruin Bengal. The BJP is a party of liars. Lies, liesand more lies is the characteristic of the BJP. The day theBJP loses elections, its cadre and supporters will behave likethose of Trump and say they disagree with the poll results,''she said.

Calling BJP president J P Nadda's lunch at a tribalhousehold in the state on January 9 a ''show off'', Banerjeeclaimed that the food items served to him were cooked atfive-star hotels.

Accusing the BJP of being a ''party of outsiders''trying to ''destroy'' the state's culture, Banerjee said WestBengal will never allow the saffron party's ''hate politics'' totriumph over secularism.

''BJP leaders from other states are coming here withmoney bags. If they offer you money, take it but don't cast asingle vote for them,'' she said.

Reacting to Banerjee's comments, West Bengal BJPpresident Dilip Ghosh said the TMC leader has sensed that thedays of her government are numbered.

''Why is she now calling leaders who have joined theBJP corrupt? If they were corrupt, then why did the TMCgovernment not take any action against them for so manyyears?'' he asked.