West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Mamata Banerjee on Monday addressed the annual Martyrs’ Day rally and launched a sharp attack on the BJP-led central government, claiming that the American President is controlling the saffron party. 

Highlighting Bengal’s culture of inclusivity, Banerjee said the state is home to over 1.5 crore migrants from various other states, yet they have never faced any discrimination or hardship. “We respect all the languages, be it Hindi, Gujarati, Marathi, Rajasthani,” she said.

“The people of West Bengal played a big role in the Independence movement… No one else can do what the people of West Bengal can,” she added.

On TMC’s Martyrs’ Day rally, West Bengal Leader of Opposition and BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari alleged that people were being enticed with “daaru and biryani” to attend the rally, questioning the legitimacy of the crowd gathered at the venue.

 “This is a government function. People are being lured with ‘daaru and biryani’ to attend. Our rally represents the youth of the state; we are marching against the deprivation of North Bengal and for the safety of our daughters… Is she (Mamata Banerjee) some kind of queen that only she can organise an event and no one else?” he said.