Kolkata, May 2: Thanking the people as the Trinamool Congress (TMC) was headed for a landslide victory in the assembly elections, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Sunday that West Bengal has “saved” India with its mandate. Banerjee said tackling the COVID-19 pandemic was her priority, asking party leaders not to organise any victory rally.
“It is the victory of the people of Bengal, the victory of democracy. Bengal has saved India today. This landslide victory came after fighting against several odds — the Centre, its machinery, its agencies. This victory has saved the humanity,” Banerjee said, addressing the press as she stood on her feet for the first time in nearly two months.
Reiterating her pre-poll promise, Banerjee said her government will provide free vaccines to the people of the state. “I urge the Centre to give free vaccines to every Indian. To vaccinate 140 crore people, Rs 30,000 crore is needed to be spent. I will sit in protest before the Mahatma Gandhi statue here if the Centre does not accept this demand,” she said. (PTI)
