Team News Riveting
Kolkata, March 1
Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday launched the BJP’s poll campaign in West Bengal for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, asserting that the downfall of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government will start after the general election.
Addressing the Vijay Sankalp rally at Hooghly’s Arambagh, Modi claimed that Muslims in Bengal will reject the TMC. “The Trinamul’s arrogance is based on their belief that they have a secured vote bank,” Modi said, adding that the Muslim women will reject the TMC’s goondaraj.
“With the result of the Lok Sabha polls (in Bengal), the countdown for the downfall of the TMC will start,” he added. The events unfolding for nearly two months in North 24-Parganas Sandeshkhali was in the focus of Modi’s speech.
“The entire country is watching what those who beat the drum of Maa-Mati-Manush have done in Sandeshkhali,” said Modi, referring to the protests against the arrested TMC strongman Sheikh Shahjahan. “Under the TMC rule, this criminal-leader was absconding for almost two months. Someone must have been protecting him?” Modi quizzed.
The Prime Minister praised the West Bengal unit of the BJP for the arrest of Shahjahan, who was apprehended by the Bengal Police on Thursday. The North 24-Parganas Zilla Parishad functionary Shahjahan, along with his brothers and associates are accused of land grab, extortion, forcing farmland to be converted for fisheries and sexual exploitation of women.
“When the Trinamul leaders crossed all the lines against the daughters and sisters of Sandeshkhali, the women stood against them. When they asked Didi for help, what did they get? They (the Trinamul) used all the power to save their leaders,” said Modi. “The people are asking Didi is the vote of a community more important than the women of Sandeshkhali?”
The BJP pitched the Prime Minister’s pre-poll campaign on social media with the hashtag ModirSatheBongoBasi (People of Bengal with Modi). Modi also questioned the “silence” of the INDIA (Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance) partners in Bengal, the Congress and the Left.
“The Left and the Congress have held meetings in Patna, Bangalore and Mumbai (with Mamata) but they dared not ask the state government any questions on Sandeshkhali. You will be surprised to hear, the Congress national president said, these things keep happening in Bengal. Is this not an insult to the state, its culture and tradition, the great sons of the soil and all the people?” asked Modi.
On Saturday, the Prime Minister will address a public meeting in Krishnagar, which TMC MP Mahua Moitra represented. She was expelled from the Lok Sabha in December last.
