The rally was marred by the collapse of a makeshift tent put up at the venue. Officials said 67 people, including 13 women, were injured
Midnapore (WB): Prime Minister Narendra Modi Monday launched a no-holds-barred attack against the Mamata Banerjee government in West Bengal, charging it with “throttling democracy” and running a “syndicate raj” without whose approval nothing moves.
Addressing a ‘Kisan Kalyan’ rally here, the prime minister also reached out to farmers and said his government was working to double their incomes by 2022.
The people of West Bengal will get freedom from the “misrule” of the Trinamool Congress within a few months, Modi said at the farmers’ welfare rally in an apparent reference to the coming general elections.
The rally was marred by the collapse of a makeshift tent put up at the venue. Officials said 67 people, including 13 women, were injured. Mounting an all out attack against the TMC government, Modi, who later visited the injured in hospital, said nothing can be achieved without the approval of the “syndicate” in West Bengal.
Referring to TMC posters with photographs of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee around the rally venue, Modi said, “Even the TMC cannot deny our achievements. They have put up posters of didi (Mamata) with folded hands welcoming the prime minister.”
In a counter attack, the TMC alleged that the BJP was running a syndicate that “peddles religious terrorism” and accused Modi of spreading “misinformation” against its government in West Bengal.
The BJP was running a syndicate of “fanaticism, lynching, torture, notebandi and corruption”, said a statement, jointly issued by TMC secretary general Partha Chatterjee and its leader in the Rajya Sabha, Derek O’ Brien.
“Try as you may to harass us with your agencies, we will not bow down to any BJP syndicate. Bengal is for all. It is the cultural capital of the world. The BJP leaders speech proved that they have no development agenda at all,” it said.
According to Modi, the TMC’s “political syndicate” rules in the land of “Vande Mataram” and “Jana-Gana-Mana” and pursues appeasement and vote bank politics. The TMC government, he said, is operating syndicates to run chit funds, take away the benefits of the farmers and unleash atrocities on the poor.
“The people of Bengal had fought hard against the misrule of the Left Front. It took some time. Within a few months, the people of Bengal will get freedom from the misrule of the TMC. People are just waiting for an opportunity,” Modi said at the farmers’ rally.
“We all know the condition of West Bengal under the present regime. Those who spoke of Maa, Mati, Manush (the TMC slogan) have been completely exposed. They are running syndicates. Democracy is being throttled and brutalized in the state.” According to him, puja rituals as well as the tradition and heritage of West Bengal are under threat.
“If you want to start a new business or do any work you have to pay the syndicate. Investments have stopped coming to Bengal. The people are frustrated and fed up with this government,” he said. Referring to the recent allegations of extortion from students for admission in colleges, Modi said the TMC has ruined the state further, after the 34-year Left rule.
PTI