West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday lashed out at the Centre on a range of issues: to the goings on in Jammu and Kashmir to crackdown by investigative agencies while speaking at the foundation day programme of the Trinamool Congress’ students’ wing.

“There have been so many developments in Kashmir. But could anybody speak? Did they allow anyone to enter and report on the ground situation?They have not allowed anyone to speak. They have sub jugted everyone under thegun,” the Trinamool Congress chief said.

She also took a jibe against the Communist Party of Indiaand said they are not protesting against the Centre now. “Once Kolkata camealive with the slogan ‘tomar naam amar naam Vietnam Vietnam (Vietnam is yourname and mine). Where is your protest now? Ram Bam ek hoye gelen? (Has the Leftbecome one with Ram)?” she asked, adding a significant number from the Lefthave joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).BJP Bengal unit chief Dilip Ghoshrejected her allegation and said that (opposition) MPs did speak against theCentre’s decision on Kashmir, but they did not have substance in theirargument.The chief minister also said that the central investigative agenciesare harassing all parties and summoning MLAs and MPs regularly. “How long canthis situation continue?” she asked.

Renewing her old allegation that the agencies are nowtargetting Bengal, she said that the agencies are cracking down on them sincethey are not afraid (of the Centre).“We are not afraid of the centralinvestigative agencies. They are summoning my brothers today. Tomorrow they maycall me. I am ready for it. I am not afraid to go to jail. If I go to jail, Iwill think that it is another freedom struggle. But I shall not bow down to thepolitics of the Bharatiya Janata Party,” said the Bengal chief minister.

BJP Bengal unit president Dilip Ghosh hit back saying, “Whyis she afraid? She is thinking that if Chidambaram can be taken into custody,the arm of the law can reach anywhere.”“If some agency has evidence,investigative agencies can summon anyone. When he was the chief minister,Narendra Modi was questioned. Why should she be afraid? Why should she say suchthings time and again?” added Ghosh.

The TMC chief also said that the country is heading for apresidential form of government. “I am making this prediction today. There is amove towards presidential form of government. One election, one leader, onepolitical party, one emergency,” she said.Addressing the students, she said,“If you give us these two years (till the Bengal assembly polls that aresupposed to take place in 2021), Bengal will give you the next 50 years.”Shealso criticised the Centre’s decision of the Reserve Bank of India to transferRs 1.76 lakh crore. “If there is a crisis there won’t be any money left,” sheremarked.

The TMC chief also slammed the Centre on the condition ofPSUs such as BSNL, Bengal Chemicals, Air India and the Railways. “We are withthe employees,” she remarked.

The chief minister also said that on November 15 and 16; shewill meet students of colleges at the Netaji Indoor Stadium in Kolkata to picknew leaders.

“I shall interact to find out who can be the next generationof leaders in the state. I shall prepare the next rung of leaders who will notallow the BJP to come to power in the state for the next 50 years,” said MamataBanerjee.

The Bengal BJP chief said the chief minister’s words are areflection of her frustration.