KOLKATA: The war of words between Narendra Modi and Mamata Banerjee is getting more intense. The PM on Saturday accused the West Bengal CM of making false promises. Mamata hit back, calling the BJP a party of extortionists which sells national property.
Referring to TMC's recently announced election manifesto, Modi said that Mamata has released a list of promises after looting Bengal for 10 years. In the same breath, he charged that the TMC supremo has taken away 10 years from the lives of the state’s youths.
Addressing a rally in Kharagpur, the erstwhile constituency of BJP's state president Dilip Ghosh, Modi said: "Now you are making 10 promises in your manifesto. People of Bengal trusted you and gave you 10 years, but you turned out to be a traitor."
On a Retaliatory note, Mamata, while addressing rallies in East Midnapore district, said: "Modi has ruined the economy. It has sold the railways, BSNL and insurance agencies. Is it a political party? In BJP-ruled states, Dalit women are set ablaze. Even in the party, women workers are not safe. It is a party of the biggest of extortionists."
Modi did not forget to mention the 'nephew' bit, saying that Mamata is more concerned about Abhishek Banerjee. "India is moving towards a single window system for the ease of doing business. In Bengal, there is only a single window which is the bhaipo (nephew)," he said.
Castigating Mamata for opposing the Centre's education policy, Modi said: "The new education policy allows youth to pursue higher education in regional languages. Didi has emerged as a wall between young students and their dreams. TMC is running extortion rackets and playing a game of appeasement politics. If anyone protests in Bengal, Didi puts him in jail. After wresting power, BJP will establish rule of law in Bengal."
Urging voters to exercise their right without fear, Modi asked police and administrative officials to follow the Constitution.