Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday raked up the issue of actors from Bangladesh campaigning for the Trinamool Congress candidates in the Lok Sabha polls and hit out at West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, asserting that “she can go to any extent for appeasement politics”.
“People from other countries are being brought to campaign here for appeasement politics,” Mr. Modi said at a public meeting in Buniyadpur, South Dinajpur district of West Bengal.
“Has this ever happened in the country? For her vote bank and appeasement politics Didi [Ms. Banerjee] can go to any extent,” he asserted. Voters in the district’s Balurghat Lok Sabha seat will cast their votes on April 23.
Videos of Bangladeshi actors Ferdous Ahmed and Ghazi Abdul Noor campaigning for Trinamool candidates had been aired by certain television channels, and also went viral on social media. The Election Commission of India and the Centre took note of these incidents and the actors were asked to return to Bangladesh.
Corruption charges
Referring to the Chief Minister as “speed breaker Didi”, Mr. Modi said Ms. Banerjee should stop asking for evidence of the Balakot air stike. Instead, she should look for “proofs” in the chit fund scams and infiltration in Bengal, he said.
“Didi, if you really want proof, then look for proofs of the offenders in the chit fund scams and the infiltrators. Stop asking for proof from our Army,” he said.
The Prime Minister recalled a blast at Khagragarh in Bardhaman district in October 2014 and contended that the TMC government had tried to stop the probe into the blasts.
“Who tried to stop the probe into that blast? Do you think people like that would be able to fight terrorism? People like her decide about acting against terrorism by looking at their vote bank.”
Mr. Modi said that like the people of West Bengal, he had erred in judging Ms. Banerjee and had been impressed by her simplicity and concern for the State’s people.
“Only after I became Prime Minister, I realised what was happening in Bengal and I had to hang my head in shame.”
Referring to the killing of a BJP worker in Purulia district, Mr. Modi called for stringent punishment for those responsible for the crime.
“In Purulia, one more of our activists was killed. I want to assure all our office bearers, voters and children that justice will be done for the atrocities,” he said.
