Modi government tried to kill me in a plane crash: Mamata

Kolkata, Jan 11 (IANS) Virtually comparing Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Ravana, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday accused his government of running a terror campaign to silence the opposition and alleged that a conspiracy was hatched to eliminate her in a plane crash as she was in the forefront of the anti-Modi protests.

Speaking at a sit-in protest organised by her Trinamool Congress before the Reserve Bank of India office here against demonetisation, Banerjee also declared that he would be banned by the people before any more bids to demonetise the Indian currency.

In her characteristic aggressive speech pillorying Modi, Banerjee, referring to his address to the nation on New Year's Eve, said: "People waited before their television sets on New Year's Eve hoping the restrictions on cash withdrawals will end.

"But that was not to be. Instead, he gave a speech, clapping and clapping. This is a new technique of giving speech, by clapping loudly. And then he claims that he has broad chest and shoulders.

"Even Ravana has broad shoulders. And he also has ten heads. Why did you introduce Rs 2, 000 demonetisation notes after scrapping notes of Rs 1,000 denomination?"

"Now BJP people say after a few days even these Rs 2000 notes will be banned. But before any such thing, Modi himself will be banned."

In an apparent reference to an aircraft flying her on November 30 that hovered in the night sky for about 40 minutes near Kolkata airport, Banerjee claimed that it was an attempt to assassinate her.

"Even a conspiracy was hatched to kill me in a plane crash. I had a close escape. Later they suspended two pilots. Air Traffic Control is putting the blame somewhere. Others are putting the blame elsewhere. Police not getting any document to conduct a proper probe.

"They (the government) are dangerous. They can do anything and everything," Banerjee said at the dharma, which her party had launched on Monday.

"An unprecedented, pointless terror campaign is going on in the country," she added.

She said anybody who dares to speak up was being silenced by instilling fear. "Agencies are hounding them. Everyone is a victim of super emergency."

Alluding to Modi's promise to restore normalcy post demonetisation within 50 days, Banerjee said: "Are 50 days not over? Why are restrictions on withdrawal limit still in place?"

On Modi's claims that he has started a war against blakc money, Banerjee said the Prime Minister was branding the legitimate money of the common people as "black".

Raising the issue of the recent arrest of Trinamool MPs Sudip Bandopadhyay and Tapas Paul by the CBI in connection with the Rose Valley chit fund scam, the Chief Minister said her party leaders were being threatened.

She also came down heavily on the CPI-M, saying its top leaders were involved with companies running chit funds and demanded their arrests.

Train service in the city and districts were disrupted on Wednesday morning as Trinamool activists set up blockades at various stations to protest the arrest of Paul and Bandyopadhyay.

The Dibrugarh-New Delhi Rajdhani express was stopped at the New Cooch Behar railway station as Trinamool Congress supporters blocked the railway tracks for over an hour. Trains were also blocked by the protesters at Kalyani railway station. The blockade was removed after two hours.