On Wednesday, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accused the BJP-led Government of trying to establish a “surveillance state”, latching on to the Pegasus snooping row.
The Trinamool congress supremo also asked the Supreme Court to take cognizance of snooping scandal that purportedly targeted politicians, activists, journalists and even judges using the Pegasus spyware. She also asked opposition parties to come together to defeat the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
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Addressing the Martyrs’ Day rally in Kolkata online, she said, “The BJP wants to convert a democratic country into a surveillance state rather than a welfare state.”
Every year on July 21, the TMC observes Martyrs’ Day to commemorate the killing of 13 people in police firing on a rally of Youth Congress workers against the then Left Front government in 1993 when Mamata Banerjee was in the Congress.
The West Bengal CM and TMC chief also accused the Centre of spending the money collected through tax on fuel & other commodities for spying using a “dangerous software” instead of funding welfare schemes.
Mamata Banerjee told the rally, “I know my phone is being tapped. All Opposition leaders know that our phones are being tapped. I cannot speak to NCP leader Sharad Pawarji or other Opposition leaders or Chief Ministers because we are being snooped and spied on by the Centre. But snooping on us would not save them in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.”
West Bengal CM slammed the BJP-led NDA government for its “monumental failure” in handling the second wave of the Covid19-crisis. The TMC supremo also termed the saffron party a “highly loaded virus party” which needs to be defeated at any cost.
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Mamata Banerjee thanked leaders of the Congress, NCP, SP, Shiv Sena and several other parties for joining her rally virtually from New Delhi. She said that all those opposed to the BJP and its “authoritarian regime” should defeat it.
The Bengal leader, who is being looked as an integral part of an opposition, said, “The BJP has taken the country to darkness, we all have to come forward to take it to new light.”
Renewing the battle cry she made during the state Assembly elections, Ms Banerjee declared, “Khela Hobe” (will play). The West Bengal CM further added that the fight will continue till BJP is ousted from power.
