Suvendu Tells Mamata: Stay On Facebook Only, Don't Go Out On Road, Will Ensure It Too
Mr Adhikari's controversial comments came immediately after Ms Banerjee, during a Facebook broadcast address: Reports
KOLKATA: Advising his predecessor Mamata Banerjee to stay active on Facebook only, West Bengal chief minister Suvendu Adhikari on Monday “threatened” the Trinamul Congress supremo not to step out of her residence at Harish Chatterjee Street in Kalighat. He also warned of steps to stop her from going out.
Mr Adhikari's controversial comments came immediately after Ms Banerjee, during a Facebook broadcast address, ruled out her Sanyas from politics and vowed to send BJP to Sanyas by hitting the streets again in her fresh battle against its government. The TMC chief later slammed her successor for his threats.
In the evening, Mr Adhikari said at a press meet in the state secretariat Nabanna, “You should stay only on Facebook in the afternoon. You don't need to go out on the road. I will also make arrangements so that you cannot go out on the road.” Hitting back at him, Ms Banerjee posted on X-handle, “A NEW LOW in Indian politics!”
She alleged, “@SuvenduWB, while seated in a government office, has brazenly THREATENED me, publicly declaring that he will ensure I cannot even leave my home. I call upon the Hon’ble President of India, the Hon’ble Chief Justice of India, and the people of India: Is this the India envisioned by our Constitution?”
Ms Banerjee also claimed, “A sitting Chief Minister, sworn to uphold that very Constitution, openly threatens to curtail the freedom of the Chairperson of the principal opposition party, @AITCofficial. The words were unambiguous: “I will ensure you cannot leave the house.”
She wondered, “What exactly does that mean? House arrest? Intimidation? Political persecution? Who gave you the authority to decide who gets to move freely in a constitutional democracy? Perhaps he is confusing me with those known to bow before authoritarianism. That, I must say, is a grave misreading.”
The former CM observed, “This is bigger than Mamata Banerjee. This is about the kind of India @BJP4India wants to create - where political opponents are threatened, dissent is punished, and constitutional rights become privileges granted by those in power.”
She added, “INDIA IS WITNESSING A DANGEROUS AUTHORITARIAN MOMENT. And history offers one enduring lesson: power may intimidate for a while, but arrogance eventually answers to the people. Their arrogance is loud. Their desperation is louder. Their days are numbered.”
Earlier, Ms Banerjee stated during an afternoon Facebook address, which has become her trend after losing power to BJP, “It is not correct for the BJP leaders to think about me taking Sanyas if they do not give me permission to hold meetings. I'm not a monk. The real monks are bigger practitioners. We are below their level, worshipping gods and goddesses with our faith and respect towards all religions. But remember, our fight will continue till BJP is sent to take Sanyas.”
She also declared herself “free” to “go anywhere, anytime” in her renewed fight and launched a scathing attack on the BJP government for imposing a misrule, which perhaps irritated her successor the most.
