Prime Minister Narendra Modi and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee exchanged barbs at separate election rallies ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
While the Prime Minister accused the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) of “cruelty”, Banerjee alleged that the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) had deleted the names of more than 90,000 people from the state’s voter rolls.
At an election rally in Asansol, Prime Minister Modi said regime change in West Bengal was inevitable, as the TMC’s “repository of sins” was full.
“Regime change in Bengal is now set in stone and is sought by the people of Bengal. TMC’s repository of sins is now full. Asansol is ruled by Raj, coal and sand mafia syndicate,” the Prime Minister said.
PM Modi sings ‘Nirmam sarkar’ song on TMC
He alleged that Mamata Banerjee’s TMC has inflicted nothing but ‘Nirmamta’ (cruelty) on Bengal, while the BJP has developed Asansol despite hurdles set by the ruling party.
The Chief Minister also highlighted the downward trend in the state’s economy and its contribution to the national GDP. “Bengal’s contribution to the national GDP has come down to just five per cent from 12 per cent earlier,” he said.
However, he said the regime change will ensure that West Bengal reaches new heights.
Read also | PM Modi makes six big promises to Bengal: 7th pay commission; “Reopen every rape case.”
“Investments have flown from the once thriving industrial belt of Asansol. This can only be rectified by the dual drive of the BJP,” he added, noting that the Center had allocated $45,000 crores to revive industries in Asansol.
At another rally in Haldia, PM Modi said it was necessary to remove the TMC’s ‘Neram Sarkar’ to bring in ‘Vixit Bengal’.
He also announced “six assurances from Modi” to the people.
The Prime Minister further asserted that once voted to power in the state, the BJP will replace the TMC’s “reign of fear” with trust and hold public servants accountable to the citizens for their actions.
Prime Minister Modi also criticized TMC for “cheating” the youth of Bengal by destroying the private sector and looting government positions for money.
Read also | PM Modi targets TMC over ‘Maha Jungle Raj’, Mamata calls for ‘revenge’ over SIR deletion
“Even in 100 years, the TMC cannot absolve itself of the sins it committed against the youth of Bengal,” Modi added, referring to closed industrial units and labor migration in the state.
He accused Mamata Banerjee’s party of following a “policy of reservation on the basis of religion to secure its vote bank”. Prime Minister Modi added that the country “will not benefit from opposition to the Prime Minister, but will benefit only when the Prime Minister and Prime Minister work in complete harmony.”
Mamata criticizes the BJP and alleges “torture”
Meanwhile, TMC chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has accused the BJP of deleting the names of more than 90,000 people from voter lists to seize power in the state, asserting that her party will win the upcoming Assembly elections.
Speaking at a public rally in Meenakhan in North 24 Paraganas, Banerjee said the TMC would approach the court to ensure that all the deleted names are returned to the electoral rolls, referring to the special intensive review process in the state.
Read also | ‘EVMs should be properly vetted’: Mamata Banerjee slams BJP, ECI ahead of West Bengal elections
“You have deleted the names of more than 90,000 people to seize power in Bengal, but we will prevail,” she said.
The TMC chief accused the BJP of “paying money to buy votes”, alleging that the party was bringing in “outsiders from UP in Bihar to rig the polls”.
She further said that the BJP is “destroying the federal structure of the country” by threatening officers.
Banerjee also alleged that people in BJP-ruled states are being “tortured” for speaking Bengali. “It describes Bengali as a foreign language and calls Bengali speakers as infiltrators,” the TMC chief added.
(With inputs from PTI)
