In a stinging rebuke to the Modi government, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee warned the nation about what she called a looming “Vote-locking” (Votebandi) era, following the infamous Demonetization. Addressing a massive rally, the Trinamool Congress supremo lashed out at the BJP for its interference in people’s dietary habits and its controversial policies regarding Strategic Investment Regions (SIR). She claimed that these moves are part of a calculated plot to stifle democracy and strip citizens of their fundamental rights.

“After destroying the economy with demonetization, they are now dictating what people should eat and wear. Who gave BJP the right to decide a citizen’s menu?” Mamata questioned fiercely. She further characterized the BJP’s focus on SIR and land policies as a smokescreen for “organized looting” of the country’s resources. According to her, the BJP’s ultimate goal is to keep the common man “house-bound and jail-bound” while they seize control of national wealth without accountability.

Banerjee highlighted that these measures are not isolated incidents but a systemic effort to dismantle the constitutional fabric of India. “First they took your money, now they want your voice and your vote,” she said, urging the electorate to resist the “authoritarian” regime. As the poll heat intensifies, Mamata’s “Note-bandi to Vote-bandi” narrative has emerged as a central theme in her campaign, aimed at mobilizing the masses against the central leadership’s interference in state and personal affairs.