Banerjee was referring to a folklore on Sri Ramakrishna Paramhansa, the spiritual guru of Swami Vivekenanda.
Ramakrishna is believed to have advised a cobra, whom he had told not to bite people, that it could frighten away people by hissing.
"I can always hiss if can't bite. If the people's rights are endangered we will hiss. We can bow our heads to Ma, Mati, Manush, but not to the arrogance of power," she said at a state government water project at Tallah Park here.
The Chief Minister, said "When we are shouted, the louder will be our protest. We roar when intimidated. This is our pride.
"We may be poor, but we have dignity. People are the main assets of democracy. What Bengal thinks today, the world thinks tomorrow," Banerjee said.