Purulia (WB), Apr 19 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday criticised the TMC for allegedly indulging in infiltration that is “altering West Bengal’s language and culture”, and accused the Mamata Banerjee government of being “anti-tribal” and presiding over a regime of “Maha jungleraj”.
Launching a sharp attack on the ruling party in Purulia, Modi sought to turn the BJP’s campaign in Junglemahal into a battle between what he called development and appeasement.
He alleged that the TMC had ignored tribals, grabbed their land parcels and reduced the region to a “cycle of corruption, fear and underdevelopment”.
“Due to infiltration, Bengal’s language and culture are witnessing a change,” the Prime Minister said, sharpening the BJP’s pitch on identity and demographic concerns ahead of the 2026 assembly polls.
He alleged that the Santali language and tribal identity were being humiliated under the TMC government while “record” budget allocations were being made for madrasa education.
“The Santali language is being humiliated while a record budget is allocated for madrasa education. This is nothing but appeasement,” Modi said.
Calling the TMC “anti-tribal”, the Prime Minister claimed that districts with significant tribal population in Bengal lagged in terms of roads, drinking water, jobs and basic amenities.
Modi alleged that tribal land parcels had been captured by the “TMC syndicate”, and claimed, “In TMC’s Maha jungleraj, no work can be done without paying TMC cut money.” He described the Mamata Banerjee government as a ‘nirmam sarkar’ (cruel government), which is interested only in “loot” and not in the welfare of tribals.
“The TMC has not given anything except torture, loot, corruption and Maha jungleraj,” he said.
Modi said the people of Purulia, Bankura and Jhargram had once backed the BJP because they wanted “freedom from fear and extortion”.
He claimed that the mood in Purulia had turned decisively against the ruling party.
“The entire Purulia wants change and is saying ‘Paltano Darkar’ (change is needed),” he said, borrowing a Bengali slogan to underline what the BJP believes is “growing anger” against the TMC in western Bengal.
The Prime Minister alleged that the TMC’s “corruption and atrocities” had terrorised the people of Bengal, but added that they now saw the BJP as the “only credible alternative”.
“Wherever atrocities reached their extreme, people chose the BJP as an alternative,” he said, asserting that the saffron party would form the next government in West Bengal with a “decisive mandate” in the upcoming assembly polls. PTI PNT BDC
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