Hindu-Muslim politics won’t bring development: Mamata slams Modi govt

“Let us be united and work for peace and integrity,” she said.

Banerjee alleged that industrialists, who express their dissent against the policies of the Modi government, are being “harassed” with the help of the CBI or Enforcement Directorate (ED).

“Those who express dissent against the central government policies, are kept under scanner,” she said, urging the Centre not to “interfere unnecessarily in industrial matters”. “None has the right to get anyone searched by I-T (Income Tax Department), ED and CBI. Harassing industrialists is resulting in recession. GDP (Gross Domestic Product) is down. Nobody knows what will happen to the banks tomorrow,” she said, adding “Ghar me paisa rakho toh notebandi. Bank me paise rakho toh lootbandi (There is note ban if you keep money at home, while it will be looted if you keep it in banks).”

She told the Centre, “Take action against those who are violators (of law). Differentiate between those who commit mistake and those who do not. Many of them (industrialists) have left Indian shores as they are scared.”

Industrialist Rahul Bajaj recently said the India Inc was afraid of criticising the Centre’s policies. He found support in Biocon chairperson Kiran Mazumdar Shaw who said the government treated India Inc as “pariahs” and doesn’t want to hear any criticism of the economy.

About the steep onion prices, Banerjee said inflation was skyrocketing. “The price of onion has become Rs 140/kg. The Centre has no control over the rising prices,” she stated.

Banerjee alleged that the Centre was planning to sell off railways, in the wake of reports that the Union government might outsource commercial and on-board services of a few trains.

Inviting industrialists to Bengal, she said the state was growing. “Bengal is still doing better. We have kept poverty low… there are efforts to run parallel governments in Bengal and Maharashtra (through Raj Bhavans). It is 100 times worse than Maharashtra (in Bengal). My Assembly was adjourned because some Bills were not signed (by the Governor). We did not get consent for discussions (over the Bills). We will fight it.”
with pti inputs