I will fight for people, injuries are not new to me, Mamata Banerjee says in Purulia

PURULIA: A wheelchair-bound Mamata Banerjee on Monday voiced her determination to continue to reach out to people when she said “none can silence my voice, I will keep fighting”.
“A few people had thought during election time, I cannot step out. But if I breathe, have life, have a voice, I will speak for people,” the chief minister said, addressing two public meetings in Purulia.She is expected to reach Nandigram later this week for a two-day campaign, after completing the Bankura and West Midnapore leg of the campaign in the next two days.
Referring to her injuries, Banerjee said: “A few days back, when I was campaigning, my vehicle door was slammed that it hurt me. My ankle was hurt; there are blood clots. It has been plastered. I cannot stand. Doctors had asked for a 15-day rest, but I asked them to please treat me, but allow me to reach out to people in a wheelchair.”
“Injuries,” she continued, “are not new to me. Ever since I was attacked in Hazra, there are injuries all over my body.”
Banerjee iterated that “I am a street fighter. I will fight for people”. “I sit in a chair,” she said, “given by people.”
Referring to Trinamool Congress’ reverses in Purulia in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Banerjee said: “If you have felt hurt, we will correct it. This is a party instruction. Do not worry, we will not forgive (wrongdoers).”
She also reached out to party workers who were “upset”. ‘You need to forget differences and step out. A battle is fought from the front. If I can fight this battle with an injured leg, so can you. We will keep fighting,” Banerjee said.
She asked people “what BJP MPs have done for Purulia after being elected”. “Now the MPs will become MLAs,” she added.
The thrust of Banerjee’s speech, however, was her promise of a Rs 64,000-crore industrial township in Purulia. The CM further said the Rs 1,000 monthly widowers’ pension would be extended to all who had lost their husbands after age 18.
The ‘Duare Sarkar’ scheme, she added, would continue twice every year. Rations would be provided for free, she said. “We will also provide Rs 25,000 crore to 10,000 self-help groups in Bengal.” .
Banerjee touched upon the challenges faced by migrant labourers in Purulia. “You have seen the pain they faced. Some migrant labourers died in Jharkhand. We tried to help them. The Bengal government paid for 300 trains to bring them back home. We paid for buses, gave some help to tide over their financial distress. We also tried to help them with employment,” she said.
“Some were stuck outside. We tried to reach out to them,” she added.
Seeking apology for not being able to speak standing up, Banerjee said: “Once I am back on my feet, I will return to you again. But I need you to fight this battle for me. Bengal will decide the country’s fate. This autocratic government in Delhi has to be halted in Bengal.”