KOLKATA/NEW DELHI: Questioning why PM Narendra Modi’s photograph was present on the now-compulsory Covid vaccine certificates and dubbing the UPSC’s questionnaire for CAPF examinations on post-poll violence in Bengal as “politically motivated and highly objectionable”, CM Mamata Banerjee on Thursday reminded that the Centre “should have some dignity” and that “chair is not permanent, but the country, the Constitution and its institutions are permanent.”
“Suppose I am not your supporter, why will I use your photo? It is compulsory on Covid certificates. I do not like you but I must carry this. Why? Where is the freedom of people?” the CM asked and joked, “now allow your photo on death certificates too”.
Banerjee said the BJP would have to pay the price for doing wrongs.” You cannot destroy the secular fabric of our country. You cannot destroy the morale of the people; you cannot compel the people to write in your favour.”
On the UPSC questionnaire controversy, the CM said she was “shocked”. “I don’t understand how an impartial institution like the UPSC can set questions like this. BJP party office prepared the questions, I am sorry to say. Though I have great respect for UPSC if they must maintain the dignity and the honour, they have to act accordingly. Everybody respects them. We thought they were impartial people. Till now, they were impartial,” the CM said.
In Delhi as the nearly washed-out monsoon session of Parliament closed two days before schedule on Wednesday, Trinamool attacked the government on “why was Prime Minister Narendra Modi and home minister Amit Shah missing from the House,” on why Bills were passed without scrutiny, why no deputy leader of Lok Sabha has been appointed even after two years even as the opposition parties jointly kept sought replies on the Pegasus snooping issue, price rise and the farm laws.
“We want to ask the eight ministers who addressed a press conference on the session these questions,” TMC leader in Rajya Sabha Derek O’Brien said at a press conference addressed by him, senior Lok Sabha MP Saugata Roy and TMC vice president Yashwant Sinha on Thursday. “Two former PMs, Manmohan Singh and H D Deve Gowda were present in the Houses and actively participated,” he said.
