'ED Summons, Train Cancellation Cannot Crush TMC Protest': Abhishek Banerjee As BJP Alleges 'Nautanki'

Trinamool Congress will hold a peaceful sit-in at Rajghat on October 2 and a peaceful rally of the MGNREGA job card holders the next day.

TMC National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee meets MGNREGA job card holders in Kolkata.

Source : PTI

New Delhi: Coming down heavily on the Centre, Trinamool Congress (TMC) general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Saturday said “deploying ED and CBI” and “cancelling trains” cannot deter the party from carrying out its political programmes and vowed to go ahead with their protest in Delhi on October 2 and 3, news agency PTI reported. Banerjee alleged that the Centre was trying to “crush” their protest and asserted that all such plans will “backfire”.

"It is clear that they (BJP) want to teach people of Bengal a lesson as they voted overwhelmingly in favour of TMC in the 2021 Assembly polls and in subsequent by-polls. If this is BJP's way of revenge, a bigger and nastier blow awaits them in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. In every single poll thereafter, BJP will learn it the hard way," PTI quoted Banerjee as saying.

"We applied for the trains on September 23 to take them (TMC leaders) to Delhi. But we were denied the permission ... You (the Centre) have cancelled the trains but you cannot break people's movement with such tactics. You cannot scare TMC by making ED, CBI send summons to it. You cannot crush the movement by the people of Bengal for their rights," the TMC leader added.

According to reports, TMC will hold a peaceful sit-in at Rajghat on October 2 and a peaceful rally of the MGNREGA job card holders the next day.

VIDEO | TMC leaders enroute to Delhi on a train to take part in a protest against the Center over alleged deprivation of West Bengal of its share of dues.

(Source: Third Party) pic.twitter.com/LK2FNNJB69

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 30, 2023

Meanwhile, a war of words erupted between the TMC and BJP over the upcoming protest in the national capital. While the TMC accused the Centre of “deceiving” the people of West Bengal, the saffron party hit back saying their protest was a mere “circus” and the party would only end up “wasting people’s money”.

“Why are they (TMC) engaging in this 'nautanki'? They are going to Delhi for a picnic and to waste the money of the poor people," BJP leader Locket Chatterjee told PTI.

VIDEO | "Why are they (TMC) doing this 'nautanki'? They are going to Delhi for a picnic and waste the money of the poor people," says BJP MP @me_locket on TMC's protest rally in New Delhi on October 2 and October 3. pic.twitter.com/NSzmw9F8q7

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 30, 2023

“It is the highest possible example of political vendetta. TMC is unstoppable and has been fighting for the greater good of the people of West Bengal and against deprivation of funds," TMC MP Santanu Sen told the news agency.

VIDEO | "It is the highest possible example of political vendetta. TMC is unstoppable and has been fighting for the greater good of the people of West Bengal and against deprivation of funds," says TMC MP @SantanuSenMP on TMC's scheduled protest in Delhi against the Centre over… pic.twitter.com/6pMyqlv4Gc

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 30, 2023

25 Buses With TMC Volunteers Set Out From Kolkata

Meanwhile, 25 buses carrying TMC volunteers started out from Kolkata on Saturday to take part in the protest on Monday, PTI reported.

According to the report, over 4,000 people will travel to the national capital by a convoy of buses as part of the programme.