On the 75th anniversary of the Quit India movement, Opposition parties on Wednesday vowed to oust ruling Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) with the Trinamool Congress coining slogan 'BJP quit India in 2019'. Accusing the BJP government at the Centre of subverting democracy, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said the TMC will work with all opposition parties to oust the BJP in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
In Bihar, RJD leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav today launched an agitation against Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for "insulting" people's mandate by dumping grand alliance and joining hands with the BJP. In neighbouring Uttar Pradesh, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav launched state wide campaign "Desh Bachao, Desh Banao".
Mamata launches 'BJP quit India' campaign
Mamata Banerjee today launched TMC's campaign 'BJP quit India in 2019', as she charged that the BJP-led government at the Centre has "taken away the rights of the people in the country". She also alleged that "secularism is under threat".
"The BJP-led government is trying to divide the country. We will not allow it. In 2019 our slogan will be 'BJP quit India'. We will work with all other opposition parties, so that we can unitedly fight against the BJP. We want this politics of communalism and hatred to come to an end," she said while kicking off the campaign here.
"We will fight and not stop till the BJP is ousted from power. Democracy will triumph against all odds", she said.
"They can threaten us by using the ED, Income Tax and the CBI but we are not afraid of it. The central government has turned into a government of the agencies, by the agencies, of the agencies and for the agencies," she alleged.
Tejashwi launches ‘Janadesh Apman Yatra' against Nitish Kumar
Former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav launched an agitation against Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for "insulting" people's mandate by dumping grand alliance and joining hands with the BJP. Accompanied by his brother Tej Pratap Yadav, state RJD chief Ramchandra Purbe and other leaders, Tejashwi sat quietly for about one hour under statue of father of the nation at Gandhi maidan in Motihari to seek an apology from him.
"We sought apology from Mahatama Gandhi for being under leadership of a person (Kumar) who ditched everybody and went with the RSS which killed Bapu," Tejashwi Yadav told reporters at the site.
Tejashwi Yadav is leading the RJD's "Janadesh Apman Yatra" (insult to mandate yatra) to protest Kumar dumping grand alliance of the JD(U), the RJD and the Congress and joining hands with the BJP to form a new government in Bihar. The yatra is also aimed at mobilising support for the RJD's August 27 rally at Patna.
Tejashwi Yadav said the reason for apology was that he had earlier sat under the same statue with Nitish Kumar at a function to celebrate centenary celebration of Champaran Satyagraha and also walked with him to urge people to follow ideals of the father of the nation.
Akhielesh launches 'Desh Bachao, Desh Banao' campaign
Former Chief Minister Akhielesh Yadav chose temple town of Ayodhya and historic August Kranti Diwas to launch his party's campaign against the BJP's rule at the Centre and in Uttar Pradesh.
Yadav said it is the responsibility of the new generation of samajwadis to fulfil Mahatma Gandhi's dream of 'suraaj' (good governance).
"On August 9, 1942, Mahatma Gandhi gave the clarion call of 'Quit India' and samajwadis took part in the movement with great enthusiasm. It is the responsibility of the new generation of samajwadis to fulfil the dream of 'suraaj' (good governance), which Mahatma Gandhi had dreamt of. It is our duty to preserve the values of freedom," the SP chief said.
Hitting out at the BJP government for its slew of 'anti-people' measures, he said "The BJP government has cheated the farmers. The crop loan waiver and doubling their income have remained a promise. Both, the poor and the farmers are in trouble."
Speaking at a rally, Akhilesh said people who were talking about eradicating corruption has taken in even Bukkal Nawab, referring to former SP MLC who quit the party and the House to join the BJP.
Targeting the Yogi Adityanath government, Akhilesh said, "Those who were accusing of discriminating in providing electricity should now tell where the electricity is."
Targeting the Narendra Modi government, the SP chief said the policy adopted by the Centre will not help in creating job opportunities.
He also criticised the Centre's GST and demonetisation steps. "Public is facing trouble due to price rise while youngsters are worried because of unemployment. The slogan of Swachh Bharat (Clean India) will be realised only when politics will be cleansed," the SP leader said.
"There is deterioration in law and order situation in the state of Uttar Pradesh. The education and health sector is also going down. Women are feeling insecure and there is fear among minorities," he added.
(With PTI inputs)
