Kolkata, Apr 19 (PTI) TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Sunday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to first release the pending Rs 2 lakh crore central dues to West Bengal before professing his love for the people of the state and their well-being.
Addressing an election meeting at Sagar Island in South 24 Parganas district, Banerjee also asserted that “Modi’s guarantee” means “zero guarantee” while Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee keeps her words.
“I am telling the honourable PM with all respect, please speak like the Prime Minister. I wish you a long life. Please facilitate sending the Rs 2 lakh crore dues you failed to release for Bengal over the last few years,” he said.
Banerjee claimed that “people from Gujarat” are issuing threats to people of Bengal to put them in jail.
“Let me tell Modi and Shah, use central force and agencies, but your game plan and conspiracy have been exposed before the people. Wait for May 4 to see the (election) results.” At another meeting at Nandigram in Purba Medinipur district, Banerjee said that Modi had claimed TMC is filled with goondas who should either surrender by April 29 or face arrest afterwards.
“Let me tell him that TMC does not have goondas and he should look into his own party. The biggest goonda is in the BJP, and going by the logic put forward by Modiji, half of his party in West Bengal must be lodged in jail,” he said without elaborating.
Banerjee asserted that from the ED and CBI to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and Bengal Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Agarwal, none can ensure the BJP’s win in this election.
Referring to the BJP candidate from Nandigram and Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, he said, “Only those suffering from bankruptcy in ideals” can think about getting votes by the name of religion.
He claimed that Adhikari had touched the feet of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath at a rally in Purba Medinipur district a few days back.
“Being a son of the district of freedom fighters and social reformers, who never bow their heads excepting to seniors but are always respectful to fellow humans, it is unbelievable that Suvendu Adhikari is touching the feet of someone around his age,” Banerjee said.
“People like him (Adhikari) are used to bow down before their masters in Delhi, UP and Gujarat but we will never do it. We cannot be like the servants of Delhi, we are Royal Bengal Tigers,” he said.
Adhikari, who is also contesting against Mamata Banerjee in the Bhabanipur seat, had earlier explained that Adityanath is a revered monk of a reputed Hindu monastic order, and hence he touched his feet out of respect.
The BJP legislator failed to build roads and bring central funds to his constituency, Banerjee said, urging the people to vote for TMC candidate Pabitra Kar to “cleanse” the soil of Nandigram from the saffron party’s grip.
Banerjee called upon Union Home Minister Amit Shah to be present in Bengal after 12 noon on May 4, the day of counting, to see the mood of the people and the celebrations.
He was responding to Shah’s caution to “TMC troublemakers” to remain confined to homes on April 23 and 29, and particularly after May 4, to save themselves from the “wrath” of people.
“BJP seeks your votes using the name of Ram, but remember: despite building the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, they were defeated by the electorate in the next polls,” he said.
Accusing Adhikari of imitating TMC’s public outreach initiative, he said, “When I started the Sebaashray programme to provide healthcare facilities to the people in Diamond Harbour and also in Nandigram, he also came up with another health camp in his assembly segment. But may I ask him what prevented him from going ahead with that in all these years?” “Go with the original, not with duplicates,” Banerjee told the electorate.
At Sagar, Banerjee alleged that BJP leaders have become “allergic” to the TMC’s slogan ‘Jai Bangla’ which, he said, is a call to strengthen Bengali pride and the growth and welfare of the state in the federal structure.
The BJP has been alleging that the ‘Jai Bangla’ slogan belongs to Bangladesh.
“Some of the BJP leaders are behaving like madmen on hearing the Jai Bangla slogan at rallies. They are trying to get down from the vehicles to confront those who chant the slogan. I pity such leaders,” the TMC leader said.
Banerjee was apparently referring to Adhikari who, during a recent roadshow in Bally, had engaged in an argument with TMC workers who raised the slogan.
The TMC MP claimed that in sharp contrast, the Mamata Banerjee government spent Rs 1700 crore for building the Muriganga bridge to connect the island with Namkhana and facilitate traffic movement.
“In 2021, Amit Shah had promised a Rs 2 lakh crore package for Sagar Island, but nothing happened afterwards. While Modi’s guarantee is nothing but a zero guarantee, Mamata Banerjee’s guarantee means a lifetime guarantee,” he said.
Underscoring the annual organisation of Gangasagar Mela being held smoothly without any untoward incident under the TMC reign, Banerjee urged BJP leaders to come and compare the hosting of that fair with Kumbh Mela.
The election to the 294-member West Bengal assembly will be held on April 23 and 29, and votes will be counted on May 4. PTI SUS NN NN
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.