Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday launched a scathing attack on the Trinamool Congress (TMC) during a rally in West Bengal's Siliguri, accusing the party of corruption and prioritising family interests over the development of the nation.
Addressing a fervent crowd in Siliguri, located in the Darjeeling district of north Bengal, Modi rallied supporters to oust the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC from power in West Bengal, emphasising the need for change ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.
"The corrupt TMC government is anti-Dalit, anti-tribal, anti-OBC, and anti-women," Modi declared, highlighting allegations of corruption within the party, including involvement in a ration scam that led to the incarceration of several TMC leaders and ministers.
Modi outlined the BJP's vision for the development of north Bengal, focusing on infrastructure and the promotion of the "Tea-Timber-Tourism" industry.
He criticised past administrations, accusing them of neglecting the region's needs, particularly under Leftist and TMC rule.
The PM's rally in Siliguri, a key location in the "chicken neck" of India, aimed to galvanize support for the BJP in North Bengal, where the party had secured seven out of eight Lok Sabha seats in the 2019 elections.
"The struggles and aspirations of the people of the area were ignored first by the Leftists and then by the TMC. They were busy seizing the land of the poor," Modi said while mentioning that the BJP's initiatives, such as the PM Ujjwala Yojana, which provides free gas connections, are not allowed in Bengal by the TMC, thus depriving over 14 lakh women.
Reaching out to the Gorkha community of North Bengal, Modi said the BJP sympathises with the aspirations and challenges of the Gorkha brothers of the area.
"BJP is determined to realise every aspiration. After decades of waiting, Ayodhya finally got its Ram Mandir, and Jammu and Kashmir got rid of Article 370. BJP has fulfilled all such dreams. We have also addressed the issues of the Adivasi communities. We have worked tirelessly to resolve all your issues." "We have made continuous efforts to address your concerns. We are close to finding a solution. BJP will continue its efforts to fulfil your solution," he said.
The Gorkha community in Darjeeling has been demanding a separate state comprising Darjeeling and parts of North Bengal.
Hitting out at dynasty politics of opposition parties, Modi said the "TMC is only bothered about its nephew whereas the Congress is bothered only about the royal family," in an apparent reference to TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee and the Gandhi family in Congress.
"As I work for the development of the poor, the leaders of the INDI alliance such as TMC and Congress don't like me. The TMC is worried about their nephew. The Congress wants to promote the sons and daughters of their royal family. The Left wants to maintain coordination with these two so that they are in the fray," the Prime Minister said.
"These people do not care about your children. If there is anyone who cares about the future of your children, it is the Modi, BJP, NDA alliance. That is why today every person in the country is saying, 'Main Hoon Modi Ka Parivar (I am Modi's family)", he added.
Referring to recent incidents in Sandeshkhali, where allegations of sexual abuse against TMC leaders surfaced, Modi criticised the state government for its alleged apathy towards the victims.
"Today, what the TMC leaders have done to the poor, Dalit and tribal sisters in Sandeshkhali is being discussed in the entire country. The atrocities on women and looting the earnings of the poor have been the hallmark of the goons and extortionists of the TMC," he said.
Modi also accused the TMC of embezzling funds meant for welfare schemes like MGNREGA, citing instances of fake job cards being created to siphon off central funds.
"I have seen mothers in our country struggling for basic amenities. That is why I stress on sanitisation, free electricity, bank accounts and tap water to make the lives of our mothers and sisters easier. But here, first, the Left Front and then the TMC government have ignored the basic needs of the people of the state," he said.
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