Kolkata:
Mamata Banerjee has single-handedly ended the Left's 34-year-long term in West Bengal. She spoke to NDTV's Barkha Dutt about her victory, and what it means for her state. This is the transcript of her interview.
NDTV: History has been made here in West Bengal as a more than three-decade-old communist government is now firmly out of the way. Green is the colour of Kolkata today, not red, with some people even saying that the Writers' Building should be painted green now. Well, we are about to talk to the heroine of the moment. The woman who is going to be the next Chief Minister of West Bengal, the first woman Chief Minister that the state has ever had. Mamata Di I must first ask you, even I am wearing green today, but you are wearing white. How did that happen?
Mamata Banerjee: No, it is green and white. Inside is green, outside is white. I mean this is the chaadar symbolically, the minorities people, they donated it to me..... So they gave me this, it is the blessings so I am wearing (this) from Day 1 of the election campaigning. So I preserve it. If you give me any blessings or dua, it is a duty to preserve it. So I am just preserving the blessings and the dua of the people. But Bengal obviously, it is not that we are against the Leftists. It is the Marxist people, the so- called Marxists, they (are) totally deviated from the Leftist ideology also. And because of their torture, and rigging, and atrocities within these years, even I am sorry to say that more than 75,000 people have been killed, even after Lok Sabha elections also. So I don't think this is the proper politics. You may differ (with) me politically or ideologically, that I don't mind. It is a democratic right for everyone, but we have to remember that we have to respect the political situation, we have to obey the constitutional obligation and all.
NDTV: You said in your opening statement that you are humbled but you also want to remember the martyrs who have been fighting for three decades, and that this is the time to salute them. Who did you mean specifically?
Mamata Banerjee: I am humbled always, because I said that I always want to be as a commoner, because I have no family. Only one family is there, that is the human family, what I like to continue. And number two, of course, I salute my martyrs and also I salute so many people who are not alive today. Their expectation also to see Bengal, they say this is the second Independence Day, though there was an independence and we are an independent country. But in Bengal there's no democratic rights, no political rights, or property rights. Even education institutions, if you go, and if you are not a CPM man, then you are not allowed admission in the institution. In this situation, how people have got their voting rights, I must congratulate the Election Commission and their team also, how they gave... facilitated the people at least to cast a vote. Except a few areas, very few, they allowed the people to cast their vote. We salute to them also. To the rest of the democracy, they are the main pillar, and today we are celebrating the festival of democracy. It is not me, it is the people of Bengal. And though I said that there is no peace, there is no... sorry the victims, the opposition and all this, because now we have to maintain peace. I appeal to everybody, I want everybody's cooperation in this regard, and from the government and from the opposition, we want to work together, no problem. And I want the CPM people also; I am their well- wisher.
NDTV: So you will reach out to Left as an opposition party?
Mamata Banerjee: I said that, I said that there are no differences. We belong to a common family. When there is a competition, there is an election, we must fight for the election, we must take the verdict of the people. But when people give you the verdict, when you continue the government, that is for the people, of the people, by the people.
NDTV: Didi, tell us a little bit about the morning. Were you nervous at all or were sure that you were going to win?
Mamata Banerjee: No, I am not nervous, because you know, because I don't feel that I am fighting this battle for position. It is an action, it is a mission of the people, and there is a vision. It is not for me, so why are we worried or nervous, when I know that I as an individual, it is not my anything to get? It is the public, the collective responsibility, the collective family, they should be very well. And what they want, let their will, their intention should be...
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NDTV: But you have made history, you really have made history. You know, I heard some people outside saying that this is like the fall of the Berlin Wall. It's not just another election. When you heard the margin with which you had won, I think you always knew that you were going to win. But when you saw the scale of the victory, what was the first thing that went through your mind? Who was the first person you spoke to? Did you speak to your mother, were you watching the results with your family?
Mamata Banerjee: I am really humbled. I am really obliged to all of my public, the democratic family, the family of democracy. I really bow down my head to Ma Maati Manush, what we say. It's a full family of people, the Ma Maati Manush. I bow down my head to them, I salute to them. I salute to my jawans of this country. Again I am saying that as an individual, I may not be here today or tomorrow, but the democracy will continue forever. The democracy is a winner always. The individual, the egoist attitude, it is a loser, how you have seen the audacity, even the scandalous attitude and all the scandals, that should not be in a democracy.
NDTV: Didi, what is the priority now for Bengal? Because many people believe that one battle has been won, another battle is beginning now?
Mamata Banerjee: It's okay, no problem.
NDTV: You are a fighter?
Mamata Banerjee: We are fighters and it is not that it'll not, I worked in the Railway Ministry these two years. How the Railways developed you have seen. It is the first time. More than three times better work we have done. Earlier the new infrastructure line, it was of the capacity of 118 kilometers every year. This time we have done 710 kilometers. So the achievement is very high. Even the budgetary, whatever was the commitment inside the Parliament, we have earned 100 crore more than that. So I think the Railways in more than two years, I have given a vision also. And in these ten years the railways will be, it's a good day for railways. You have to work hard for that. Like this Bengal also, I am proud of my Bengal people, I am proud of my country also, I am proud of my motherland. I think Bengal will show the way. They will do the job, it is not that I will do it. I think it is the encouragement and the blessings of the people and their dua. So it is them, they always insist on me to do the job.
NDTV: Didi are you worried, about how to balance the industrialization needs of Bengal, with the movements that you have campaigned for, Nandigram, Singur, the rights of farmers, the rights of tribals. How will you balance these two?
Mamata Banerjee: You just see, whatever I say I keep my word. You have seen me as a Railways Minister. I have not gone for any forceful land acquisition or anything. Instead of that I gave some, I amended some directives and all these, and I said that declare it as a special project. Give them employment, don't take forcefully, go for negotiation. I think there must be uniform land policy. The Central government is trying and that's why we are waiting. We have already given our opinion and Bengal also, we will give our own agricultural and land policy. We are not going to forcefully acquire any land. Instead of that we will give full support to kisaan and also industry. You will see where ever the industrial facilities are there and we will create more facilities .You will see that Bengal will create history.
NDTV: You will support the current Land Acquisition Bill and amendments or you want some changes?
Mamata Banerjee: No this bill I don't support. Support means it is not there, they have not introduced, I have given some opposition, means I have given some opinion that it should be like this. I already gave my opinion to Pranab Mukherjee. It is pending with them, so let it be done.
NDTV: I believe the Prime Minister and the Congress President supported you?
Mamata Banerjee: Yes I am very grateful to them. Honourable Prime Minister came, he came, he joined the rally and he was so overwhelmed. He is just like our father. He is the guardian of the family. I am very happy, he gave us all blessings, he is very happy. Sonia ji also, she rang up and I said today 'I remember Rajiv ji because it was Rajiv ji's dream.' If I remember correctly in the year '89 I was just remembering ... that I was passing from Rajiv ji's house at 10 Janpath, then Jitendra Prasad, at that time he was alive and he was his personal secretary so he said, 'Do you know one thing?' I said, 'What?' He said 'Rajiv ji wants that you should be the President of Congress but your age so small, so he is waiting for five years.' So I remember, today I feel sorry that I didn't see his face. He should have been alive.
NDTV: Did you share that thought with Mrs Sonia Gandhi that you remembered Rajiv Gandhi today?
Mamata Banerjee: Whatever I say I don't disclose it to the outside. That's a relation I maintain.
NDTV: Tell me something Didi, would you like Congress to be a part of your Government?
Mamata Banerjee: Yes of course already, and also there is a leftist party, SUC it is from our seat we gave to (them) so they also won. It will include in our seat. So I appealed to them also they should join us. I will be very happy to be with the Congress and Leftists.
NDTV: Both?
Mamata Banerjee: Both, one party is there na, so you see they are also a Leftist party.
NDTV: Didi will you make an attempt, now that you are in Government, to reach out to the Maoists? There has been a huge national debate over this issue
Mamata Banerjee: Haan Jangal Mahal you have seen na...
NDTV: We have seen the results.
Mamata Banerjee: ... Maoists have also contested the elections. I am happy that they contested the election because democratic process worked. I am happy. If there is any problem we are ready for negotiation, discussion, development, and I will go to Jangal Mahal. I want to congratulate my Jangal Mahal to power. You see, out of the five seats we have got all five. Can you imagine, Jangal Mahal, Jhargram, Gopiballavpur, Salboni, Balrampur, Bagmundi, Raipur, in every city we won. Maoists also contested there they lost, CPM also lost.
NDTV: So now some dialogue with the Maoist groups?
Mamata Banerjee: I think people have given the peaceful message. They believe in democracy. Whatever the process, it should be democratic process.
NDTV: One last question Didi, now that you are going to be a part of the government, are we going to see, many people are wondering, a different Mamata Banerjee. Or is Mamata Banerjee going to remain the same Mamata Banerjee?
Mamata Banerjee: Why don't you see, two years I worked as a Railways Minister, have you seen any (changes)?
NDTV: No change at all?
Mamata Banerjee: As a commoner I worked. Here also I will work as a commoner.
NDTV: And just share a personal thought, personal side. I mean many people know a little bit about you, you have been getting rid of your tension by painting, you doodle often, and you draw cartoons. How have you been coping with the last few days and how are you going to celebrate?
Mamata Banerjee: What celebration? (It's) celebration of the people. It is the people who will celebrate. I will be with them as a commoner.
NDTV: And you have spoken to your mother, did you seek her blessings?
Mamata Banerjee: Yes, that I used to do every day, and today also I have done it.
NDTV: And any message finally for the people of Bengal? And the people of India?
Mamata Banerjee: I am proud of Bengal, I am proud of my motherland. We are grateful to all of my lovable people of this country. And we want that politics must be very good in a sense that there must be some transparency, some accountability, some credibility, and politics must be for some development process, is what I believe. We are from the democratic movement; I know the feelings of the people. If we are experienced about the grassroots, then we can do anything from grassroots to sky high.
NDTV: It's a day of women power and there are two heroines, you and Jayalalithaa. Any thoughts on women and politics and how you are all making your mark?
Mamata Banerjee: I think don't compare with Tamil Nadu. Tamil Nadu is different; they have got into the government so many times...
NDTV: And you have made history.
Mamata Banerjee: No, there is a change in Tamil Nadu and Kerala after five years. Bengal is a different situation. And I don't consider myself as a woman. I have got full support from the women and I am grateful to them for my women's' vote but at the same time, I belong to everyone. (smiles)
NDTV: So it's not a gender issue for you?
Mamata Banerjee: I don't believe in the gender issue. I believe in my sisters, without my sisters I will not be able to do the jobs, and brothers and sisters jointly. I want to celebrate this joy with all of them.