Putting all speculation to rest, railway minister Mamata Banerjee made it clear on Wednesday that she has no intention of resigning following a spurt in train accidents during her tenure.
Scoffing at the CPI(M)’s demands for her resignation following the Sainthia train tragedy, Ms Banerjee, addressing a massive Martyrs’ Day rally near Esplanade in Kolkata, said: “I have received phone calls from a large number of common people who have requested me not to resign and fall into the CPI(M)’s trap.”
Ms Banerjee recalled that when she had resigned from the railway ministry in 2001 in a huff, the people had voiced their displeasure over her decision. “We had lost the Assembly polls in 2001 only because I resigned as railway minister and people had not liked it. They still remember this and they tell me there is no reason for me to resign,” she said.
She repeated her charge that both the Gyaneswari Express derailment of May 28 and the collision of July 19 were sabotage for which she blamed the CPI(M). “The Gyaneswari Express derailment took place just two days before the civic polls, and now, two days before the July 21 rally, the Sainthia accident happened. Both incidents took place at around the same time: 2 am,” she added.
Ms Banerjee, who in the past used to accuse the CPI(M) of scientific rigging after every electoral defeat, now alleged that the CPI(M) was indulging in scientific rail sabotage. She even accused them of adding cockroaches to railway meals to tarnish her image. Spurred by the huge turnout, she adopted a defiant posture and claimed her popularity and power did not depend on the post of railway minister.
“I have reached this position as a member of an ordinary Bengali family,” she said, adding that she even paid for the tea she drank in her office.