"Will Resign If Proved": Mamata Banerjee On Alleged Call To Amit Shah

In an all-out attack on her lieutenant-turned-nemesis, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said she would step down if it was proved that she had called Union Home Minister Amit Shah after her party, the Trinamool Congress, lost its national party status.

Without naming him, Ms Banerjee accused Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari of lying about her calling the Union Home Minister Amit Shah and demanded proof. Her party, Trinamool Congress, has also said it will take legal action.

At a rally in Singur, Suvendu Adhikari had claimed that Mamata Banerjee had called Union Home Minister Amit Shah several times requesting her party's national status be retained.

Reacting to the media reports on Mr Adhikari's comments, Mamata Banerjee called out the media for not cross-checking the claim with her before reporting. Addressing a news conference at Nabanna, the state secretariat, a livid Mamata Banerjee said, "One person, grotesque, is addressing a public meeting and saying that after the Trinamool Congress lost its national party status, I called their tallest leader, Shah ji, four times on the phone. You have aired this news the entire day yesterday. It has been reported in the newspapers as well. Have you cross-checked this information with me that whether I have called him or not?"

"I want to repeat that I have demanded his resignation. For engaging in a conspiracy to break the Constitution. He denigrates his constitutional position, and he intends to break the federal structure by using brute force to break governments. His words are not befitting the post of the Home Minister and not according to the constitution," she said.

"The person who says I have called him four times should atone by crawling with his nose on the ground because you have reported it. If I have done this, I am giving you my word, I will resign from the position of Chief Minister. And if they have lied and used you to propagate their lies, then admit that those who are behind it and those who have done it, will you atone for this by crawling with your nose on the ground? Will you resign? Or will your leaders resign?" Ms Banerjee added.

The Chief Minister also warned of defamation notices. "My question is, shouldn't the press verify these claims, instead of blatantly running whatever BJP leaders are claiming? The media, too, will get defamation notices if they don't cross-check, before running such propaganda."

The Trinamool is taking Suvendu Adhikari and Amit Shah to court over the claims, which have snowballed into a major political issue in West Bengal.

https://twitter.com/AITCofficial/status/1648657162087059460?s=20.

In a statement, the Trinamool Congress said, "Suvendu Adhikari responded to the charges and said he will respond tomorrow. He also claimed that he was responsible for the TMC winning in districts like Purulia, Bankura, Birbhum, Malda, and Medinipur as he was in charge."

In a tweet, he said, "Yeh Darr Mujhe Achha Laga! Shameful that you used the same demeaning words "Kimbhut Kimakar" in my reference as you had earlier used in regard to Hon'ble PM. For making the call to Delhi, you used a landline. I'd expose you in due time. Wait for my befitting reply tomorrow."

The Trinamool Congress Chief and West Bengal Chief Minister also attacked the Election Commission.

"We are in politics. Do you think our party's national status, just because the Election Commission is in your hands, you can do anything you like? We had respect for you. What was the system? Reviews are done ten years apart. The last review was in 2014. So, when do 10 years end?" she said, questioning the process that stripped her party of its national status this month.

"The review took place in 2016, actually. We had time until 2026. After that, our performance review was scheduled. Minimum, it is there until 2024. We have so many MPs and MLAs. But they considered only 2014 to 2019. Even before the Bengal election, they took their decision. We fought elections in Meghalaya after that. We fought an election in Goa. We fought an election in Tripura. What is this?" she said.

"We became a national party from a regional party. We are named the All-India Trinamool Congress, and it will remain the All-India Trinamool Congress. If the BJP objects to it, they have the election commission with them, then we have the support of the people. We have not got it due to someone's charity. We got it after a fight. How many MPs do we have? How many MLAs do we have? Many parties do not have these many MPs and MLAs. But they will get national status. Just because we oppose the BJP, they say we are now a regional party, and they won't talk to us," Ms Banerjee said.

Suvendu Adhikari asked the Election Commission to take note of Mamata Banerjee's comments. "A CM who's taken Oath of Office bearing allegiance to the Constitution of India; is politically attacking ECI (Autonomous Constitutional Authority), at a Press Conference inside State Secretariat with the National Flag & Emblem in the background," he said.

Ms Banerjee also commented on the intensifying efforts by opposition parties to team up against the BJP ahead of next year's national elections.

"Sometimes silence is golden. Don't think the opposition is not sitting together. We all exist, and everybody is maintaining relations with each other. When it comes, it will happen like a tornado," she said.

The Trinamool chief, however, was more circumspect on a question on the Supreme Court case over legalising same-sex marriage, saying, "I will not say anything because the matter is sub-judice. I love people who love others. This matter is sensitive, and I have to see the pulse of the people. I will have to see the order of the court, and then we can form an opinion."