West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee defended a move of walking into the residence of Indian Political Action Commitee (I-PAC) Director Pratik Jain and the office on Thursday and take away documents and electronic devices, which she says was an act of protecting herself while being flanked by senior police officers and state government officials.
“I went as chairman of All India Trinamool Congress (AITC). I didn’t do anything wrong. I was protecting myself,” said Mamata while drawing parallels with Union Home Minister Amit Shah having security personnel with him all the time for his protection.
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo walked the streets of Kolkata with her party MLAs and MPs along with huge turnout of her supporters, sending out a message to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) that she would not be cowed down by intimidation tactics. “If somebody instigates me, it is a re-birth for me,” said Mamata while talking about her political struggles in the past.
Mamata also warned the BJP that she has pen drives and can open the Pandora’s box. “If I open my mouth, there will be chaos all around. But I won’t because I love the country,” warned Mamata.
The CM also hit out at the BJP saying after capturing Haryana, Bihar and other states, now they want to capture West Bengal. “They hear the name Bengal and want to attack,” said the CM.
Mamata also spoke about her party MPs being manhandled by police in the Delhi cold on Friday morning while protesting in front of Shah’s office. The TMC supremo has got her guard up to protect her turf and come back to power for a fourth term, riding on sympathies of her supporters. It is a tough battle ahead for the CM who has to rework her poll strategy and fight the saffron party not just democratically and ideologically, but also in ways that catches her and her party workers off guard.
