Mamata ridicules CPI-M for demanding her resignation

KOLKATA - Ridiculing West Bengal’s ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M)-led Left Front for demanding her resignation in the wake of the Sainthia train accident, Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee Wednesday again hinted at a conspiracy behind the tragedy.

“The Gyaneshwari Express tragedy happened May 28, two days before the Kolkata civic polls. I went to the spot and learnt certain things about who is behind this. Now the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is conducting a probe,” Banerjee told a huge rally in the heart of the city.

“Again two days before our July 21 rally, the Sainthia train accident happened. Both incidents happened around the same time - 2 a.m. Investigation is on regarding the Sainthia disaster. So I won’t say anything. But comrades, do you think we eat grass?” she asked.

The Trinamool Congress leader said if people wanted her to resign, she would do that in two minutes.

“But the more the CPI-M demands my resignation, I get more phone calls from people urging me not to fall into the CPI-M trap. They plead with me not to resign,” she said.

Banerjee said she had earlier twice resigned from the union ministry.

“But in 2001, I lost the assembly polls only because I had resigned as railway minister. People did not like it. People still remember this. And they continue to ask me why should I resign.

“Now the CPI-M wants my resignation. They did not resign when they killed 60,000 opposition workers during their 33-year rule. Their only activity is now centred around creating problems for me. They are allergic to me,” Banerjee said.

The minister said the CPI-M was now on its last legs and it was time for the Communists to go. “No amount of conspiracy can keep them in power,” she said.

She said that while CPI-M leaders made crores worth of property during their long innings in West Bengal, she does not even drink a cup of tea using railway money.

“They have beaten me up so many times. Now they are trying to damage the railways. They cannot do it. They themselves will suffer,” she said.

Banerjee said she could not sleep for the last two days due to the rail accident. “I have fever also.”

Over 200 people have been killed in West Bengal in two train tragedies in less than two months.

At least 148 were killed May 28 when the Mumbai-bound Gyaneshwari Express derailed after a Maoist sabotage and was hit by a freight train near Jhargram in West Midnapore district.

Sixtythree people were killed when the engine of the Sealdah-bound Uttar Banga Express ploughed through three compartments of the stationary Vananchal Express at Sainthia station early Monday.