West Bengal Assembly elections | Trinamool Congress insulting Scheduled Castes in State: PM Modi

PM Modi, addressing a public meeting at Bardhaman town, said a senior leader of the Trinamool Congress has called members of Scheduled Caste population as “beggars”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi during an election campaign rally for West Bengal Assembly polls, in Burdwan on April 12, 2021.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi who addressed multiple election rallies in West Bengal on April 12 accused the Trinamool Congress (TMC) leadership of insulting Scheduled Caste population in the State.

Addressing a public meeting at Bardhaman town, the Prime Minister said a senior leader of Trinamool Congress has called members of Scheduled Caste population as “beggars”.

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Didi has neither condemned such remarks nor has sought any apology,” Mr. Modi said. He also pointed out that no leader in the Trinamool Congress can make such a comment without the knowledge of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

The Prime Minister said that “Baba Saheb Ambedkar’s soul is hurt by the insult hurled at the Scheduled Castes”. “You have committed biggest mistake, biggest sin, by insulting Dalits,” he said. The Prime Minister remarks were directed at TMC leader Sujata Khan Mondal, who in a video clip is allegedly being heard calling Scheduled Caste voters “beggars”.

Later in the day while speaking at Kalyani, Mr. Modi raised the issue of his visit to Orakandi in Bangladesh, the birthplace of Harichand Thakur, the founder of Matua sect. Mr. Modi had visited Orakandi on March 27, during his visit to Bangladesh on the occasion to mark the 50 Independence anniversary celebrations of the Republic.

“When I visited Orakandi, a priest of Matua sect said that I was the first Prime Minister to visit the birthplace of Harichand Thakur,” Mr. Modi said. The Prime Minister said that the appeasement politics of Mamata Banerjee has hurt the interests of Matuas and Namasudras. Mr. Modi said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is committed to granting citizenship and justice to refugees. Matuas are Hindu refugees who have come from Bangladesh and settled in the districts of North 24 Parganas and Nadia in West Bengal.

Mr. Modi said that people of Nandigram have clean bowled Ms. Banerjee and her innings is over. The Prime Minister also added that the people of West Bengal have also understood the game plan of Ms. Banerjee that she wanted to hand over the capacity to her nephew. “The people have asked the entire team of the Didi to leave the field in the first four phases of polls,” he said.

“The reality of West Bengal is that it is game over for Didi ,” Mr. Modi added. The Prime Minister, who addressed three public meetings in the day, the third at Barasat accused the Trinamool Congress of corruption and “cut money”. He also said that votes for the BJP would ensure that each farmer will get ₹18,000 which are the pending under the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi and benefits under Ayushman Bharat scheme.

Elections in districts of Bardhaman, Nadia and North 24 Parganas where Prime Minister addressed public meetings today are scheduled in the fifth phase on April 17.