Are you the ambassador of Pakistan? Mamata asks PM Modi
Siliguri/Kolkata, Jan 3, 2020:
Blasting Prime Minister Narendra Modi a day after he asked the Opposition to protest against Pakistan and not the new Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday wondered whether Modi was the ambassador of Pakistan with a habit of glorifying and dragging in the neighbouring nation on every issue.
"There is one matter in my heart. I respect Prime Minister Narendra Modi. But I would like to put a question before him. When we live in such a large and the biggest democratic country, then why do you compare our country with Pakistan?
"Aren't you ashamed? Are you the ambassador of Pakistan, that you are glorifying Pakistan every day in every way?" Banerjee asked before leading a huge protest march in the northern Bengal town of Siliguri, about 550 km from Kolkata, against the CAA, and the proposed nationwide National Register of Citizens (NRC).
The Trinamool Congress supremo asked Modi to talk about India, and not about Pakistan.
"People don't want to hear about Pakistan. We want to hear about India. We don't want Pakistan. On every issue, they drag Pakistan. We don't support Pakistan, we support India. We support the soil of India," she said, addressing thousands of people at Pradhannagar.
Banerjee did not spare other leaders of BJP either.
"India is the world's largest democracy. It is the most successful nation. We are proud of this country. But we feel sad when we see that whenever we raise any issue, BJP leaders, from A to Z, say 'go to Pakistan'. What is this?" she asked.
Banerjee said the BJP's constant refrain is "go to Pakistan" whenever anybody demands jobs, food, industry or citizenship.
"If somebody says I am unemployed, give me a job, they say 'go to Pakistan'. If somebody says I am hungry, give me food, they say 'go to Pakistan'. If somebody says there is no industry, they say 'go to Pakistan'. If somebody asks why are you snatching our citizenship rights, they say ago to Pakistan',"Banerjee said in one of her most stringent criticism of Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party.
Again, addressing Modi, she said: "Why do you drag Pakistan in every issue. Have you forgotten India though you are the Prime Minister of India?
"We are proud to be Indians. The Prime Minister always says go and tell Pakistan, discuss Pakistan. We have no need to discuss Pakistan. It is for people of Pakistan to discuss the happenings there. India is our country, land and birthplace. We will discuss India," she said.
On Thursday, addressing a public meeting at Tumakuru in Karnataka, Modi slammed the Congress for opposing the CAA, and dared the opposition party to protest against Pakistan for persecuting Hindus living as minorities in the neighbouring country.
"You (Congress leaders) should protest against Pakistan for persecuting Hindus, Sikhs, Parsis and Christians living there as minorities than opposing the CAA, meant to help them return to India and live with dignity and self-respect," the Prime Minister said.
(IANS)
