Mamata Banerjee Demands President’s Rule in India

Mamata Banerjee called on all the opposition parties to set aside their political differences, draft a common minimum agenda, and form a national government at the Centre.

By Rakesh Raman

Trinamool Congress leader and Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said Friday that it is time for President’s Rule at the Centre (central government in India).

While addressing a press conference at Town Hall on Friday, Banerjee urged all opposition parties to oppose the anti-people policies of the central government headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Banerjee has been at the forefront of a nationwide campaign that aims to dethrone Modi, although the flawed Indian democratic system won’t allow for it.

At present, Banerjee is leading a movement Modi Hatao Desh Bachao. The eight-day campaign, which focuses on the demonetization decision of the Modi government, began Sunday (January 1), coinciding with the foundation day of Trinamool Congress.

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“With demonetization causing havoc all over the country, playing with people’s lives, things have become unbearable. This arbitrary draconian decision has been widely condemned across the country, by well-known economists, both from India and abroad, politicians as well as the common people,” Banerjee said.

She slammed the way the central government was being run by PM Modi, saying that “in the current situation, a national government should be formed with another BJP person at the helm.”

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However, she said, “‘he’ has to go”, referring to Modi. Crucially, Banerjee said, “the President and the Supreme Court of India have important roles to play.”

She suggested that to save the country, a national government must be formed – which can be headed by another BJP leader such as Rajnath Singh, Lal Krishna Advani, or Arun Jaitley. “The current situation is just unacceptable,” Banerjee said.

Explaining the impact of demonetization on her own state, she said, “We have lost Rs 5,500 crore of revenue due to demonetization in the past two months and over 1.7 crore people in the state have been affected.”

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Moreover, in the unorganized sector, she said “81.5 lakh workers have lost their jobs due to demonetization in various sectors like tea, jute, jewellery, beedi, etc.”

Banerjee also accused the Modi government of dismantling the Planning Commission and setting up NITI Aayog. She said people in the NITI Aayog do not understand the country.

“We appeal to the President to save the country from the mess. It is time for President’s Rule at Centre,” Banerjee reiterated.

She called on all the opposition parties to set aside their political differences, draft a common minimum agenda, and form a national government at the Centre.

By Rakesh Raman, who is a government award-winning journalist and social scientist. You also can visit the REAL VOTER – Politics in India Information Center that he manages.

Photo courtesy: All India Trinamool Congress