Kolkata: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee started a two-day dharna (demonstration) here on Wednesday to protest the BJP-led Central government’s alleged discriminatory attitude towards the state.
Intensifying her attack on Narendra Modi’s government, Mamata mocked the BJP for its alleged policy of giving a clean chit to leaders who join the saffron party with a ‘washing machine protest’.
The Trinamool Congress (TMC), which had called BJP as a ‘washing machine party’ earlier also, had an oversized washing machine on the dias where Mamata and top party leaders were staging the dharna on.
Mamata dumped black clothes into the machine and took out white ones to illustrate her point as her colleagues chanted ‘washing machine Bhajpa’.
Watch the video clip which went viral on Twitter:
Mamata Banerjee launches her slogan campaign “washing machine BJP”.With a dummy washing machine on her dharna stage,she put black clothes inside & brought white ones out. “Central agencies hounding opposition but no probe against anyone joining BjP”says she pic.twitter.com/So3rgfg2Tm
— Sachin (@Sachin54620442) March 29, 2023
The main target was leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari, who had switched over to BJP ahead of the 2021 state elections. Despite being named in chit fund scams, Suvendu was not summoned by ED or CBI, Trinamool reiterated.
Calling him ‘corrupt’, TMC leaders said all criminal charges against Suvendu were dropped as soon as he switched over from Trinamool to BJP.
Mamata didn’t utter Suvendu’s name even once, but left no one wondering as to who she was referring to.
Mamata claimed that the Centre has not released over Rs 7,000 crores in pending MGNREGA and Indira Awas Yojana (Grameen) funds.
