Covid-19 has to be fought on war footing: Mamata Banerjee

The Covid-19 surge should be handled on a war footing, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee has said ahead of a meeting of her party’s newly elected MLAs. “Covid 19 is our priority now. Let us fight the Covid-19 battle and after the pandemic gets over, we will celebrate our victory. We have to deal with the pandemic strongly and chalk out a strategy for it with my party’s newly elected MLAs,” Banerjee told journalists at her Kalighat home on Monday.

Banerjee urged the Centre to approve and implement universal vaccination by spending Rs 30,000 crore. “The universal vaccination will help the country, providing free vaccines for all. We have sought 3 crore vaccines from the Centre, out of which 1 crore will be given to the private sector,” she said. “If they had spent a portion of the money spent for elections for Covid-19 vaccinations, the entire population would have been vaccinated.”

Banerjee alleged that she received a message from the returning officer in Nandigram, saying his life was under threat and the EC didn’t allow recounting. “We will move the court on this issue. Anyone can demand recounting,” Banerjee said, adding “there were two observers in Nandigram, who tried to prevent my victory. It is sheer use of muscle power. The BJP has received around 75 seats but it is election commission’s contribution. They should have received not more than 50,” she alleged, slamming the poll panel.

Slamming BJP, EC, central forces ‘for their atrocities’, Banerjee appealed to the people and her party workers to stay calm and maintain peace. Refuting the reports of violence, she said, “BJP is producing old pictures of riots. They have done so earlier too. We have suffered atrocities of BJP, CAPF and EC. Bengal is a land of peace. I know BJP and the central forces have tortured people. But they should not retaliate but maintain peace and stay away from violence. If there is any complaint, please inform the police,” she urged party workers. She urged her party supporters to focus on harmony and peace.

However, she said a Trinamool worker was killed in Burdwan on Monday. “They are torturing people in Coochbehar. I am not vindictive and appeal to everyone to maintain peace.”

She thanked Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, Rajinikanth, Bhupinder Hooda, Captain Amarinder Singh, Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray and Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik for their messages of congratulations. She also mentioned that the PM did not call her after Trinamool’s victory in Bengal. “The PM may be busy with issues that interests people at large,” she said.