Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who addressed two meetings in West Bengal on Wednesday, launched a two-pronged attack on the Trinamool Congress and the Congress, targeting West Bengal’s ruling party over its remarks on the Balakot air strikes and the latter on its promise of reviewing the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA).
At his first meeting at Siliguri in north Bengal, he alleged that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee sitting in Kolkata felt the “same pain” after the air strikes in Balakot which was felt in Islamabad and other parts of Pakistan. “The strikes were carried out there and the pain was felt here. Neither Didi (Ms. Banerjee) nor her friends from the mahamilwat (adulteration alliance) liked it.”
Describing the Congress’s manifesto as dhakolsa patra (document of falsehood), Mr. Modi said that by promising to review the AFSPA that shielded security forces from terrorists, the Congress damaged the “morale” of the security forces and made them “helpless” in the fight against terror. Later in the day, while addressing a rally at the Brigade Parade grounds in Kolkata, he accused the Congress of “bowing to terrorism for votebank politics.”
“This chowkidar stands as a wall between the dhakolsa patra of the Congress and national security. This manifesto has come with an expiry date — May 23 (the day poll results will be announced). On that day both the Congress and its dhakolsa patra will be gone,” he said.
Trying to paint the Trinamool Congress with the same brush, the Prime Minister said the party, which was formed from the Congress, was also responsible for the same sin.
‘Speed breaker’
During his speech, Mr. Modi primarily targeted the Trinamool Congress, and ridiculed the grand Opposition rally held at the Brigade Parade grounds on January 19, where leaders from 23 parties came to give a call to oust the BJP-led government at the Centre. “There was a carnival here in Kolkata. From different States leaders came here, and all they said was Modi needs to go. What crime has he committed,” he asked and then switched to the BJP slogan Modi Hai to Mumkin Hai — ‘Modi makes it possible’ — referring to the achievements of his government.
From calling Ms. Banerjee a “speed breaker” in the process of development, making references to the chit fund scam, promising the implementation of benefits of Seventh Pay Commission to State government employees, appealing to tea garden workers and the Gurkha community, Mr. Modi pulled out all the stops.
He also touched upon the issue of starting the process of National Register of Citizens in the State, and said the Gurkha community would not be affected in any way.
The Prime Minister also accused the Trinamool Congress of indulging in ‘dynasty politics’ an allegation he has often directed at the Congress party. “The aunt and her nephew are looting the resources of the State,” he said, in an obvious reference to Ms. Banerjee and her nephew and TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee.
