Pandua: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday said she spoke `unpleasant truths` knowing it could cause her harm, while renewing her barbs against Opposition parties critical of the government over rising rapes and the Centre for `economic deprivation`.
"Sometimes I speak unpleasant truths though knowing it may cause harm to me. It is my habit since childhood," Banerjee told a panchayat election meeting here in Hooghly district.
"I never lie. When I commit something I keep it a 100 percent. I do not give false promises which I will not be able to keep," the Chief Minister said.
Renewing her attack on Opposition parties she said they were politicking over rape.
"They are doing politics (over crimes against women) instead of trying to help their families," she said.
"The way they are howling (over incidents of rapes) as if I have gone to commit the rape," she said.
Referring to party activist Tapasi Mallick who was found raped and charred to death on December 18, 2006 at Singur during the land agitation there, she said the Marxists had eulogised the perpetrators "as their assets".
Referring to the rape and murder of a college girl at Kamduni village in North 24 Parganas district on June 8, Banerjee pointed out that all the accused were arrested within 24 hours and that her government would seek death penalty for them.
Banerjee said conviction took place within 27 days for a recent rape at Bamangola in Malda district.
"This is called good governance. If there is any incident of atrocity against women the state government will act," she said.
"Has there been any conviction for atrocities against women during the CPI(M) regime?" she asked.
Attacking three local television news channels of `furthering the interests` of the CPI(M), she alleged they were regularly indulging in propaganda against her government.
"It is women who dress up. But these panelists are dressing themselves up to tell lies against us for money."
Banerjee again accused the Congress-led UPA of `depriving` her cash-strapped state and said it was taking away huge interest on loans taken by the previous Left Front government.
PTI
