Questioning the BJP about the price at which they bought the "doctored" videos showing two Trinamool Congress leaders accepting "bribes", Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee today said the motive behind these videos was to malign the party and stop it from playing a key role in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
"These are doctored videos. I won't say anything about the (parliamentary) ethics committee. Our MP Kalyan Banerjee will speak about it. I will only say these videos were made before the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. Now it is 2016. These videos were made for political purpose. It is a political vendetta. It will not have any impact," Banerjee said.
She challenged the authenticity of video clips of the Narada News, showing two Trinamool Congress leaders either accepting bribes or promising favours in exchange for stakes in a fictitious company, saying "If any businessman from Bengal or all over the world can say that we have taken money in lieu of the work done, I will resign tomorrow."
The BJP is circulating the clips from their office. What amount of money did they spend to buy these videos? Where from did they get the audacity to say Bhag Mamata Bhag? Don't think that you are in power in Delhi so you can do whatever you want. I am not afraid of such threats, Banerjee said.
At present, the parliamentary ethics committee and the Calcutta Hight court are looking into the videos.
"They want to finish us as they don't want TMC to play a big role in 2019 Lok Sabha polls. But let me tell you, not only in 2016, but also in 2019, the TMC will play a very good role in Delhi.
"We have done a lot of developmental work in the last four-and-a-half years. I can challenge any political party regarding the developmental work done by us. So the political opponents in order to hush up our developmental work are using these doctored videos to malign the TMC," Mamata said in an interview to a private TV news channel.
She went on to say, "There are so many corrupt politicians who have done nothing after staying in power for so many years."
Our lawyer Kalyan Banerjee has raised our points before the court and the High Court also wanted to know details about the company involved in sting operation, she said.
"Criminal proceedings were initiated against the person who did this for violation of Secrecy Act and he was arrested by the CBI...Everything will come out," Banerjee said adding, she would not make any further comment on the issue since the matter is sub-judice.
Banerjee lashed out at the alliance between the CPI(M) and
the Congress by terming it as a unholy alliance between "tail-ender Congress" and CPI(M) which has lost all its ideological values"
She took a dig at the CPI(M) saying "Those who are trying to malign my image should know that if I want... It will take a few second to teach them lessons. Biman babu, Sujan babu and Salim babu and others should know that so many issues are there if I try to unearth them you will be in deep trouble and exposed before people.
"But I am against any personal attack," she said.
Strongly criticising the CPI(M)-Congress alliance, Banerjee said that those who believe in ideology would never caste their votes for this alliance.
"They will rather vote for the Trinamool Congress. Votes will not be transferred as expected by the CPI(M) and Congress," she said adding percentage of vote for both the party would be reduced.
"The CPI(M) once told Rajiv Gandhi 'chor hai' on the issue of Bofors, now they (Congress) are holding hands of CPI(M).....Congress is lost," she said.
"People in Bengal do not give honour to the traitors and it will once again be proved in this election....Both the constituents of this unholy alliance will be wiped out," Banerjee added.
I am not at all bothered about this alliance, as I know people are with me. I have been saying this for last several years that Congress is a the B-team of CPI(M). Then many had not believed my words. But now it has been proved, Mamata said.
"The CPI(M)-Congress- BJP share a very good rapport, everybody knows this. They are after TMC as they want to finish our party as we only fight for the interests of the masses.
