Trinamul Congress MP Kabir Suman has mocked his party chief Mamata Banerjee for promising voters in Manipur that the Trinamul will ensure withdrawal of the Army’s special powers if voted to power.
The well-known singer-turned-politician has asked why has the West Bengal chief minister failed to keep her pledge to withdraw forces from Maoist-hit Jangalmahal.
“The supreme leader of Trinamul and the chief minister of West Bengal in her visit to Manipur for canvassing has said that she supports the struggle of Irom Sharmila. She has even said that just like Irom Sharmila, the West Bengal government had tried to forcefully feed her during her days of hunger strike in December 2006,” said Mr Suman.
Mr Suman was referring to December 2006 when Ms Banerjee as the Opposition leader had observed a 26-day hungerstrike to protest forceful land acquisition in Singur.
“But the fact is the state government neither forced her to break her strike nor arrested her. On the other hand, Irom Sharmila was arrested by the Army in the beginning and then she was forced to eat by using tubes,” said Mr Suman. Ms Banerjee visited Manipur on Wednesday.