Siliguri (WB), Mar 9 (PTI) Upping the ante against the TMC over issues of corruption and dynasty politics, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday lashed out at the opposition alliance INDIA constituents such as the Trinamool Congress and the Congress for “prioritising their family interests over those of the nation’s development”.
Calling to oust the Mamata Banerjee-led party in West Bengal from “each of the 42 seats of the state”, Modi, while addressing a mega public rally in the northern Bengal city of Siliguri said, “The doors to remove the corrupt TMC from power will open from the Lok Sabha polls.” In a significant statement made to the Gorkhas of the upper reaches of the state, the PM said, “We have made continuous efforts to address your concerns. We are now close to finding a solution. The BJP will continue to strive to fulfill your dreams.” Modi maintained that the BJP empathised with the aspirations and challenges of the Gorkha and Rajbanshi people of the region.
A significant section of Gorkhas have in the past rallied behind a long-standing demand for the separate state of Gorkhaland carved out the Darjeeling hills and the foothills of Terai and Dooars. Modi made no direct reference to this demand in his speech.
This was the prime minister’s fourth such meeting in West Bengal within a span of nine days, the previous three being held at Arambag, Krishnanagar and Barasat in south Bengal. In 2019, the BJP had bagged seven of the eight Lok Sabha seats from north Bengal and hopes to repeat its performance in 2024 as well.
Offering his greetings to the congregation of people from the state’s tea producing belt in the Himalayan foothills, Modi began his speech by offering “a chaiwala’s pranaam to the tea estate workers of this region”.
Hitting out at “dynasty politics of opposition parties” who are constituents of the opposition INDIA bloc, Modi said, “The TMC’s only botheration is how to keep the nephew in power while the Congress is focused on its royal family children”, in an apparent reference to TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee and the latest generation Gandhi family Congress leaders, Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi, respectively.
“The Left is busy trying to maintain a balance at both ends,” the PM said, adding, “It is only Modi, the BJP and the NDA who care for your children. That is why the entire country is chanting ‘main hoon Modi ka parivar’ (I am part of Modi’s family).” The BJP is determined to realise every aspiration, no matter how seemingly impossible they looked before, the PM asserted.
“After centuries of wait, Ayodhya finally got its Ram Mandir. We rid Jammu and Kashmir of Article 370. We have also addressed the issues of the Adivasi communities. We have worked tirelessly to resolve all your issues,” he said.
Retaining his consistency in attacking the Trinamool government over the imbroglio in Sandeshkhali, where allegations of sexual abuse against TMC leaders surfaced, Modi lambasted the state government for its alleged apathy towards the victims.
“The whole country is talking about what the TMC leaders have done to the poor, Dalit and tribal sisters in Sandeshkhali. Atrocities on women and looting the earnings of the poor have been the hallmark of the goons and extortionists of the TMC,” he said.
Modi also accused the TMC of embezzling central funds meant for welfare schemes such as MGNREGA, stating that “25 lakh fake job cards were created by the regime to siphon off central funds”.
“I have witnessed from close quarters mothers of our country struggling for basic amenities. That’s why I stress on sanitisation, free electricity, bank accounts and tap water to make the lives of our mothers and sisters easier. But here, first, the Left Front and then the TMC government ignored the basic needs of the people of the state,” he said.
“The corrupt TMC government is anti-Dalit, anti-tribal, anti-OBC, and anti-women. The TMC government scammed the ration scheme itself. Their leaders and ministers are in jail for that. The party is looting the people of Bengal,” Modi added.
The PM highlighted the saffron party’s agenda to develop north Bengal, focusing on infrastructure and the promotion of the ‘Tea-Timber-Tourism’ industries.
Earlier, Modi unveiled infrastructure projects worth more than Rs 4,500 crore for the region, including multiple projects of railway line electrification. He also inaugurated two national highway projects worth Rs 3,100 crore.
The TMC, on its part, claimed that Modi’s frequent visits to the state would not sway West Bengal voters in favour of the BJP, and instead “strengthen the resolve of voters to reject the BJP”.
TMC leader Kunal Ghosh said, “In the past as well, the prime minister has made frequent visits to Bengal, and this time will be no different. Such visits will not yield the desired outcome. On the contrary, the more Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah visit, the more it will underscore how the party is promoting corrupt and ill-motivated people.” “The BJP leaders are like migratory birds who visit the state only before the elections. In reality, the BJP-led Centre has deprived the TMC government in the state by withholding its financial dues,” he said.
Reacting strongly to the prime minister’s allegations of TMC’s involvement in corruption and atrocities, Ghosh said, “The allegations are baseless. Did the BJP suspend Suvendu Adhikari, named in the CBI FIR, from the party? He was speaking about atrocities against women but what about women of Manipur? He never bothered to visit strife-torn Manipur.” Taking to X, Sagarika Ghose, a TMC MP, accused Modi of “uttering falsehoods about the Bengal government”.
“A few facts: 59 lakh MNREGA workers have not received funds because the Centre has DEPRIVED Bengal of funds, 11 lakh people have not got homes because the Centre has DEPRIVED Bengal of funds. We are the children of Tagore and Netaji, we know falsehoods when they are spoken. Be a pradhan mantri, not an election mantri,” she posted. PTI PNT SUS BSM SMY ACD
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