Mamata Banerjee steps up offensive against Centre

KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday threatened to take her sit-in-protest to Delhi if the Centre does not clear the state’s dues. “We waited till Thursday because we thought the Centre will respond to our demand. But no leader did that. Not only in Kolkata, but we can also take our movement to Delhi. If necessary, we will hire trains to reach the national capital.

We will stage sit-in-demonstration wherever they will stop us,” she said while addressing on the last day of her two-day dharna on Red Road in Kolkata in protest against the state’s dues from central government and misuse of central agencies. Mamata, however, did not specify any date for continuing her movement in Delhi.

She also mentioned the opposition’s unity to derail the BJP from the Centre. “They will have to accept people’s verdict and step down. The day will come soon,” she said. The Bengal chief minister alleged the Centre is yet to clear the state’s dues to the tune of Rs 1,15,000 crore. She also accused the BJP-led Centre of showing discrimination against West Bengal.

Elaborating on the reason behind her sit-in-demonstration, Mamata said, ‘’Many people told me I should have held dialogues with the Centre before staging the dharna. I discussed the issue with the Centre 10 times. How many times we will have to tell them.’’