KOLKATA: Countdown for the end of ‘mahajangalraj’ began in the state, said PM Modi, attacking Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress government in West Bengal ahead of assembly elections in the state.
While addressing the BJP’s ‘Parivartan Sankalp Sabha’ rally at the Brigade Parade Ground in Kolkata, PM said, “The countdown for the end of ‘Mahajangalraj’ began from today from this ground. The day is not far when the rule of law will return to Bengal. None of the Trinamool Congress members who break the law will be spared.”
Terming Trinamool a ‘stoned-heart’ government, Modi in his 47-minutes-long address lashed out at the ruling party in Bengal on several issues including infiltrations, Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, sloganeering against the Chief Election Commissioner, breach of protocol during the President Droupadi Murmu’s visit to the state, corruptions, deteriorating law and order situation, increasing incidents of atrocities against women, unemployment etc.
Modi on Saturday accused the Trinamool of opposing the SIR exercise to "protect its vote bank of infiltrators", alleging that unchecked illegal immigration under its rule in the state has altered the demography of many areas in the state.
“Trinamool is making Bengal unsafe by its appeasement politics for a particular community. This is not expected from the Trinamool Congress government,” he said, slamming Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who had made a controversial statement with an alleged communal tone during the recent dharna programme at Esplanade Metro Channel against the deletion of voters from the final electoral rolls in the state.
“Everything will be taken into account after BJP comes to power, and no one can save Trinamool Congress. Their days are numbered and they are now at the exit point. The Trinamool hooligans who have unleashed a culture on people are waiting for bad days ahead,” he said in the crowded Brigade.
“There will be a sea-change in law and order system to ensure women's safety after BJP comes to power in Bengal and this is Modi’s guarantee,” he said, referring to the incidents of sexual harassment of women allegedly by Trinamool Congress leaders in Sandeshkhali and R G Kar Medical College Hospital in the state.
“Incident of rape also happened inside college premises. But in all these cases of atrocities against women, no actions are taken against the culprits involved in such crimes; they are protected by the state government. Someone from Trinamool Congress is found involved in these cases,” Modi alleged.
Political analysts felt that the PM in his speech has focused on the issue of crimes against women in Bengal to woo their vote bank at a time when the Mamta Banerjee government has increased allowance to Rs 1500 from Rs 1000 under the Lakshmir Bhandar scheme ahead of elections.
Addressing the rally at Kolkata's Brigade Parade Ground, Modi alleged that the Mamata Banerjee government was undermining constitutional institutions and asserted that the "countdown has begun" for its downfall.
"The TMC is opposing SIR so that infiltrators can be protected. They attack the autonomous body that are trying to conduct free, fair and impartial elections,” he alleged.
During the visit of the full bench headed by the CEC Gyanesh Kumar of the national poll panel to Bengal for two days from Monday, Trinamool Congress workers had protested, showing black flags and shouting ‘go back’ slogan against the Commission in Kolkata.
Modi also came down heavily on the Trinamool Congress government on issues of corruption, like cut-money culture and teachers recruitment scams and said, "no matter how much this ruthless government tries now, it will not be able to stop this storm of change in Bengal."