PURULIA: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Thursday attacked West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for pursuing "appeasement and vote bank politics" which were responsible for infiltration.
Addressing an election rally here in the tribal Jangalmahal region of the state, he alleged the ruling TMC never considered Dalits, backwards and adivasis its own, and these sections were the worst victims of cut money culture and 'Tolabaji' (extortion) by the state's ruling party.
He also accused the state government of patronising underground Maoist rebels.
Attacking Banerjee, PM said, "Didi, O Didi - you played for 10 years. Now the game will end and development will begin".
He said on May 2, the day the votes for assembly elections will be counted, Banerjee's "khela" (game) will be "shesh" (over) and development will start.
He also targeted Mamata over issues like corruption and lack of development, while switching between Hindi to Bengali often to address the crowd.
"This land is a witness to Lord Ram and Goddess Sita's exile. This land has Sitakund. It is also said that when goddess Sita was thirsty, Lord Ram got water from the ground by hitting it with an arrow...It is an irony that Purulia faces water crisis today," he said.
"First the Left government and then TMC government didn't let industries develop here. The kind of work that should've been done for irrigation, didn't take place. I know the problems faced in rearing livestock due to less water. TMC govt was busy in its 'khel' by leaving farming on its own," the PM remarked.
Referring to a slew of central schemes which the TMC government is yet to implement, Modi said,"We believe in Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) while TMC believes in Transfer My Commission."
"These people have given Purulia a life riddled with water crisis. They have given Purulia, migration. They have given the poor of Purulia, discriminatory governance. They have given Purulia an identity of being one of the most backward areas of the country," he said while attacking the Mamata government.
"Bengal made up its mind long back. It's been saying 'Lok Sabha mein TMC half aur iss baar poori saaf'. Seeing this determination, didi is taking out her frustration on me. But for us, she's a daughter like crores of daughters of India. Respect for them is part of our culture. That is why we were concerned when didi got injured. I pray to God that her leg injury heals soon," he said.
"We believe in Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) while TMC believes in "Transfer My Commission", Bengal remembers who accused army of plotting coup, whose side you took during Pulwama attack Appeasement, vote bank politics behind infiltration TMC will be punished for 10 years of misrule and politics of appeasement. TMC has created a new breed of Maoists in Bengal who loot public money," Modi remarked.
(With ANI and PTI Inputs)