Kharagpur (WB):
Prime Minister Narendra Modi Saturday launched a frontal attack on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, alleging her lawmaker nephew Abhishek was the only “single window” in the state without crossing which no work gets done.
Addressing his second rally in three days in West Bengal, the prime minister said industries were closing down while “syndicate culture and mafia raj” was flourishing.
He also accused the TMC supremo of presiding over an administration full of “tolabaj” (extortionists) and corrupt people.
The prime minister alleged Banerjee was engaged in “khela” (game) of appeasement for vote bank politics.
“Industrial units are getting shuttered. You know, a single-window system is created for speedy clearances for industries. The rest of the country is growing under the single window system introduced by the BJP.
“In Bengal, too, exists a single window….the single window of ‘Bhaipo’ (nephew) without crossing which no work gets done,” he said without naming Banerjee’s nephew and Diamond Harbour MP Abhishek Banerjee.
The BJP has often accused Abhishek of running syndicates that extort money from common people. In local parlance, syndicates refer to gangs run by TMC toughs who sell substandard construction material to people at exorbitant rates.
Modi also spoke about the alleged killing of around 130 BJP workers by TMC activists since the 2018 panchayat elections.
“Mamata Didi runs a school of brutality where ‘tolabaji’ (extortion), cut money, syndicate and anarchy are part of the syllabus,” he alleged.
“Even to sell kendu leaves tribals (in Jangalmamhal) have to give cut money. Tell me don’t you have to? In Bengal for everything one has to cough up cut money (commission),” he said.
Rejecting the outsider tag Mamata Banerjee has given to his party, the prime minister said,”The BJP is the only real party of Bengal. Syama Prasad Mookerjee founded Jana Sangh, the BJP’s forerunner. He was the son of Bengal. Bengal is in BJP’s DNA.”
Ridiculing Banerjee over the “khela hobe” (game will happen) slogan, Modi said, “Didir khela shesh hobe, vikas aarambh (Didi’s game will be over and development will start). Didi will not be allowed to play with the future of Bengal.”
Referring to the ‘Ayushman Bharat’ health insurance scheme, the prime minister said the TMC government has not implemented it as it thought the Centre will get credit for the measure.
“Mamata Didi stands like a wall to block all development schemes,” he alleged.
Modi underlined the need for a double engine propelled growth for Bengal, where governments run by the same party at the Centre and in the state will take it forward on the path of progress.
Bengal, he said, had seen the “karnama” (exploits) of the Congress, “barbadi” (destruction) of the Left, while the TMC smashed to smithereens “choor choor” your dreams in the last 70 years.
“Give BJP five years. We will rectify the destruction caused by them in just five years,” he asserted.
The prime minister said the Banerjee government was opposing even the New Education Policy which laid emphasis on the use of local language as the medium of instruction even in higher technical institutions so even the sons and daughters of poor people become doctors and engineers.
“We want to realise the dreams of children of poor families to become doctors, to become successful in life, but Didi even opposes this policy. She has no concern for millions of poor children,” he said.
Referring to the 50-minute outage of WhatsApp on Friday night, Mmdi said people got upset with it. “But in Bengal development has been down for 50 years….your dreams have been down for 50 years,” he said.
In an apparent reference to ‘Didi Ke Bolo’ (Tell Didi) campaign of the TMC, Modi, whose speech was peppered with wisecracks in Bengali language, said,”People of Bengal have been saying Didi ke bolchhi uni sunchhen na (we are telling Didi but she doesn’t listen.”
Flaying the TMC government over “rampant corruption”, the prime minister said, “She (Banerjee) gets angry when asked about irregularities in cyclone relief, she sends to jail those who question the theft of ration (during lockdown), has people beaten up with sticks when they ask about coal theft, and gets burnt the houses of those demanding jobs.”
He alleged people’s constitutional right to vote was snatched away by the TMC during the 2018 panchayat elections.
“I tell the police and civil administration and they should keep in mind that there is nothing more important than saving the Constitution and democracy,” he said.
There were allegations that thousands of TMC candidates got elected unopposed as aspirants of other parties were threatened not to file nominations.
