West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee criticized the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for the arrest of opposition leaders, alleging that they are promoting a “democracy of agencies.”

Addressing a public gathering in Chakla, North 24 Paraganas district, Mamata questioned the BJP’s track record of arresting individuals from their party and accused them of running a system where agencies are used to control democracy. She challenged the BJP to disclose the number of their members arrested for crimes across the country.

“I want to know, how many thieves, dacoits, and murderers of the BJP have been arrested across the country? They are running a ‘democracy of agencies’…Their leaders want to ‘increase arrests’. But they should know that they will not be in power forever,” Mamata said, speaking at a public meeting in Chakla in West Bengal’s North 24 Paraganas district on Thursday.

Accusing the BJP of not going after leaders for crimes from their own party, Mamata said, “They (BJP) call everyone thieves, but in reality, they are the leaders of the biggest dacoits. If someone is in the BJP, they are clean because of their ‘washing machine’. But if someone is in Trinamool, they will be thrown behind the bars.”

According to Mamata, the BJP labels everyone as thieves but shields their own leaders from scrutiny. She sarcastically remarked that if someone is in the BJP, they are considered clean due to their “washing machine,” while individuals in the Trinamool party are arbitrarily put behind bars.

Mamata contended that the BJP’s focus is not on solving cases or recovering looted funds but on detaining political leaders to hinder their party-related activities. She argued that the arrests were a deliberate strategy to prevent opposition leaders from working effectively.

“None of the cases have been solved and they have not been able to retrieve any looted money. But they are deliberately putting our leaders in jail so that they can neither work for the party nor do election work,” she said.

Criticizing the BJP’s approach to the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), Mamata accused them of dividing people based on religion. She expressed opposition to the discriminatory nature of the act, asserting that citizenship should not be granted to some while denied to others.

Mamata emphasized that citizenship in the country is not determined by religion but by access to benefits such as free ration, Swasthya Sathi (healthcare program), Pan Card, and Aadhaar Card. She urged the public to recognize that anyone availing themselves of these benefits is a citizen of the country.

“Previously, the citizenship card was the responsibility of the DMs, but the same has been taken away now only for politics. They want to divide people. They want to give it (citizenship) to some and deny it to others. If one (community) is getting citizenship, the other (community) should also get it. This discrimination is wrong,” Mamata said.

The Bengal Chief Minister said that if anyone is getting the benefit of free ration, Swasthya Sathi, Pan Card, Aadhaar Card then he is a citizen of this country.

“As for citizenship, remember, all of you are the citizens of this country. If you are not a citizen of this country then how are you getting free ration, Swasthya Sathi, Pan Card, Aadhaar Card?” Mamata said.

The Chief Minister said that those who settled in West Bengal till 1971 and even after that, lived in colonies. She said that her government is giving out “pattas” to them under the “Chirosthaayi Thikana” scheme.

“Those who came (to Bengal) from Bangladesh till 1971 and even after that, they live in colonies and we are giving out pattas to all those colonies under the name “Chirosthaayi Thikana.” We are giving pattas to all so that they don’t have to live like refugees,” Mamata said.