Mamata writes to non-BJP leaders, calls for united struggle against BJP’s attacks on democracy, Constitution

In a significant development on Wednesday, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee wrote a detailed letter to the leaders of major national non-BJP political parties including Sonia Gandhi, Sharad Pawar, MK Stalin, Tejashwi Yadav, Uddhav Thackeray, Arvind Kejriwal, Naveen Patnaik stating, "I strongly believe that the time has come for a united and effective struggle against BJP's attacks on democracy and Constitution."

Accusing the Modi government of recklessly using government agencies like CBI, ED etc “against leaders and functionaries of non-BJP parties for its own partisan political ends”, Mamata in the letter says that “the BJP wants to make it impossible for non-BJP parties to exercise their Constitutional rights and freedoms.”

She raised the issue of questionable National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill and stressed that the Centre “has been creating problems for the duly elected governments by misusing the office of the Governor.”

She also mentions the reckless privatisation by the Modi government, withholding transfer of funds to the non-BJP State Governments by the Centre, and the BJP amassing unlimited resources from questionable sources as some potent issues which strongly indicate that the BJP wants to establish a ‘one-party authoritarian rule’ in the country.

She then gave a clarion call to all the non-BJP party leaders to unite and struggle against the “BJP's attacks on democracy and the Constitution.” She says in the letter that she is wholeheartedly committed to take part in this ‘battle’ aimed at providing “a credible alternative to the people of India.”

Here is the complete text of the letter written by the WB Chief Minister:

“I am writing this letter to you, and to several leaders of non-BJP parties, to convey my serious concerns over a series of assaults by the BJP and its Government at the Centre on democracy and Constitutional Federalism in India.

You will agree that the passage of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill by the two Houses of Parliament is an extremely grave development. With this law, the BJP government at the Centre has snatched away practically all the powers of the democratically elected government of Delhi. and vested them in the hands of the Lt Governor, a nominee of the Centre. The Lt Governor has been made the undeclared Viceroy of Delhi, acting as a proxy for the Home Minister and the Prime Minister.

The entire world knows that the Aam Aadmi Party, under the leadership of Chief Minister Shri Arvind Kejnwal, resoundingly defeated the BJP in the Assembly elections in Delhi. not once but twice consecutively — in 2014 and also in 2019. However, unwilling to accept the people's mandate, the BJP has chosen to govern Delhi by making the Chief Minister subservient to the Lt Governor. The National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Act is a direct attack on the Federal Structure of the Indian Republic, as enshrined in the Constitution. It also makes a mockery of the letter and spirit of democracy since it disempowers the people of the national capital. Furthermore, it violates the unambiguous verdict by a five-judge Supreme Court bench in 2018, which upheld the pre-eminence of Delhi's elected Government in all matters other than police, public order and land. You will also agree that what the BJP has done in Delhi is not an exception, but is increasingly become a rule.

1) In State after State governed by non-BJP parties, the Centre has been creating problems for the duly elected governments by misusing the office of the Governor. In many States, including in West Bengal, Governors have been functioning like BJP's office bearers, and not as neutral Constitutional authorities.

2) The BJP Government at the Centre has been brazenly and vindictively misusing the CBI, ED and other institutions against leaders and functionaries of non-BJP parties for its own partisan political ends. Both in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu. where Assembly elections are now underway, the Modi Government has unleashed the ED to conduct raids on functionaries of the All India Trinamool Congress and DMK. Predictably, these institutions target only non-BJP leaders, and never those belonging to the BJP.

3) The Modi Government is deliberately withholding transfer of funds to State Governments, especially those ruled by non-BJP parties. so that we face problems in implementing our development and welfare schemes to benefit common people.

4) By disbanding the National Development Council, Inter-State Council and the Planning Commission (which has been replaced by a toothless think tank called NITI Ayog). the Modi Government has deactivated every single platform where State Governments used to traditionally place their legitimate demands, needs, concerns and views before the Central Government.

5) The BJP has amassed unlimited resources from questionable sources, which it is using to topple duly elected non-BJP governments and to engineer defections in non-BJP parties.

6) The Modi Government's policy of reckless and wholesale privatisation of the nation's assets is also an attack on democracy, because these assets belong to the people of India

7) Overall, the Centre-State relations, and also relations between the ruling party at the Centre and Opposition parties, have never been as bad in the history of independent India as they are now, and the blame for this rests squarely with the Prime Minister's authoritanan conduct

There is a clear pattern and purpose behind all these developments. The BJP wants to make it impossible for non-BJP parties to exercise their Constitutional rights and freedoms. It wants to dilute the powers of State Governments and downgrade them to mere municipalities. In short, it wants to establish a ONE-PARTY AUTHORITARIAN RULE in India.

Therefore, I strongly believe that the time has come for a united and effective struggle against the BJP's attacks on democracy and the Constitution. As the Chairperson of All India Trinamool Congress, I shall work wholeheartedly with you and all other like-minded political parties in this battle. We can win this battle only with unity of hearts and minds, and by presenting a credible alternative to the people of India.

After the conclusion of the ongoing Assembly elections, I suggest that we deliberate on these issues and chart a plan of action.

With Regards Mamta Banerjee”