Arvind Agarwal

Mamata Banerjee’s Dharmatala speech in Kolkata is not “defending democracy.” It’s the language of a protection racket. “We exist, that is why all of you are safe… if one community surrounds you, they will finish you off in one second.” That is communal fear-mongering, delivered from the CM’s chair. This is what it looks like when a leader feels the ground slipping. Voter-roll revision pressure, an election year, and a shrinking aura of invincibility. So the citadel playbook comes out: turn politics into a hostage situation, project yourself as the only shield, and hint at violence if your “shield” is removed. Bengal deserves better than a CM who rules by threat, insinuation and permanent tension. Don’t weaponise communal paranoia to keep your vote-bank intact.

VIDEO | Delhi: AAP National Convener Arvind Kejriwal says, “There is another way, I have said this before, but that is not something Modi ji can do. I built 500 schools in Delhi; you build 5,000 schools across the country. I improved the roads in Delhi; you fix the roads across the entire nation. Then no one would even ask about Kejriwal anymore. But that is not something Modi ji can do... I want to say this to the Prime Minister, this is the result of the hunger for power of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah. This conspiracy is born out of that lust for power. I am a small person in all this, but our families have suffered. My wife has often been unwell and had to be admitted to the hospital. My mother cried a lot... The real cost of this conspiracy by Modi ji and Amit Shah is being borne by Delhi. The three crore people of Delhi are suffering because of it. Who will take responsibility for that?”