KOLKATA: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee on Thursday crossed swords with each other on various issues.
Both the leaders were in Cooch Behar attending campaign rallies for their respective parties.
While Modi brought up the Sandeshkhali issue saying that under TMC rule women’s life and honour are at stake, Mamata said that BJP candidate from Cooch Behar and Union Minister of State for Home Nisith Pramanik was a TMC discard for his anti-social activities.
Banerjee said, “Pramanik used to ride 30 cars and he is accusing others of corruption. BJP leaders are all corrupt and they are using the ED and CBI to malign the image of other political leaders apart from their leaders.”
Modi targeted West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and said the entire country saw how the TMC tried to save the culprits of the Sandeshkhali incident. “But the BJP's focus is empowering women. The culprits of Sandeshkhali will spend their lives in jail,” PM Modi said.
He also said that only the BJP can stop the injustice taking place to the women of Bengal and hence it must be strengthened in West Bengal. “What happened to the women of Sandeshkhali was a result of TMC's misrule. BJP has vowed that it will ensure the punishment of the Sandeshkhali culprits,” Modi added.
TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee, while addressing the election rally in Cooch Behar, alleged that the Border Security Force (BSF) and Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) are working at the behest of the BJP and urged the Election Commission to look into it and ensure a level playing field for all political parties.
"The BJP is asking you to enrol names for Awas Yojna again. Why will the names be enrolled again? They want further enrollment so that they can chuck it off. You can trust a poisonous snake; you can even pet it, but you can never trust the BJP. The BJP is destroying the country," she added.
Asserting that her party TMC will not bow before the "threat of central agencies", Banerjee urged women in Cooch Behar to file police complaints if "there are instances of BSF torturing locals" ahead of the polls, scheduled for April 19.
"The central investigating agencies, the NIA, Income Tax, BSF and CISF are working for the BJP. We will humbly plead to the Election Commission to ensure a level playing field as central agencies are working for the saffron camp. The BJP is violating the MCC," she said.
The BJP only "follows the principle of one nation, one party", Mamata Banerjee claimed.
While reiterating her refusal to implement the Citizenship Amendment Act in the state, Banerjee said that applying for CAA would designate an applicant as a foreigner and advised against it.
"The CAA is a trap to turn legal citizens into foreigners. Once you (BJP) implement CAA, NRC will follow. We would allow neither CAA nor NRC in West Bengal. If you apply, you will be designated as a foreigner," Banerjee added.
PM Modi in his public rally thanked Mamata. He explained: "In 2019 when I came here, I addressed a rally from this same ground. But then Mamata Didi made a platform on the ground leaving a narrow space for me. I said at that time that Didi would see the result of it. And you have shown her the result. This time, there is no such roadblock and so I want to thank Mamata Banerjee and the government."
The BJP made maximum electoral gains in North Bengal since the last Lok Sabha election in 2019. North Bengal’s Cooch Behar, Alipurduar and Jalpaiguri seats are going to the polls on April 19 in the first of the seven phases Bengal will witness.
PM Modi's attack over Sandeshkhali came on the same day the Calcutta High Court made some stinging comments about the incident. "The entire district administration and ruling dispensation must owe a moral responsibility. Even if 1% is true, it is shameful. And West Bengal says it is safest for women. If one affidavit is proved to be right, all of this falls," the court said.
Earlier this year, several women started protesting against now-suspended Trinamool leader Sheikh Shahjahan alleging land grabbing, and sexual assault by him and his associates. Shahjahan remained absconding for nearly two months after which he was arrested by the West Bengal police on February 29. Now he is in ED custody until April 13.
