Bengal did not see change as Trinamool didn’t exist: Mamata

KOLKATA - Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee Thursday said West Bengal did not see “change” in the more than three-decade long Marxist rule as her party did not exist then.

“As there was no feasibility of Trinamool Congress in the state, the change did not take place. Trinamool Congress is the only party which does not indulge in atrocities and violence. And none of our leaders could be purchased by the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M). So change is inevitable,” Mamata said at a rally here at Esplanade area.

Without naming the alliance partner Congress, she said: “Earlier, the CPI-M had purchased several leaders of their opponent parties and even the NDA (National Democratic Alliance) helped the CPI-M in 2001 election.”

“Trinamool is the only political party which knows to create environment for development taking all people together,” she said.

“None of our party leaders are corrupt nor do they support violence. And we have already cautioned all our party workers and supporters not to carry out corrupt practices and indulge in violence. If they carry out such practices, people will not accept them.”

She also said that the party will take stern action against party activists and leaders found guilty of corruption and violence.

She urged the people to come together and join hands for the sake of change.

Alleging that the quality of education in the state had degraded recently, Mamata said: “Most of the teachers and faculty members in educational institutes and medical colleges are red card holders.”

She said CPI-M had recruited their party cadres in police ranks and promoted teachers owing allegiance to their party.

Mamata’s statements came a day after chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee urged primary teachers affiliated to the Left-dominated All Bengal Primary Teachers’ Association to act as political messengers in the districts. He asked them to campaign among the guardians, highlighting the ‘anarchy and terror tactics’ of the Trinamool Congress in the run up to the assembly polls.

Mamata also made it clear that her party was dead against the skyrocketing prices of essential commodities.

“The central government alone is not responsible for the skyrocketing prices of the essential commodities including onion, the state government is also responsible,” said Mamata.

But she blamed the United Progressive Aliance (UPA) government at the centre for not consulting with Trinamool Congress when hiking prices of petroleum products even though they were the second largest party in the alliance.

“Our party MPs will meet with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to discuss the price hike and CPI-M sponsored atrocities in Maoist-affected areas of the state with the help of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel,” Mamata added.

She also announced a series of programmes against price hikes and CPI-M sponsored terrorism across the state.