Barasat (WB): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday flayed the TMC government in West Bengal for “snatching the rights of OBC youths” to facilitate its appeasement politics and “vote jihad”.
Addressing an election rally in Barasat, Modi, without naming West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, criticised her for questioning the judges of the Calcutta High Court and wondered if the TMC would now “let loose its goons on judges” following unfavourable rulings.
“The court has exposed the treachery of the Trinamool Congress with the OBCs. The party snatched the rights of OBC youths to support its appeasement politics and ‘vote jihad’. The TMC has betrayed the OBCs of West Bengal,” he asserted.
The Calcutta High Court had last week struck down the OBC status of several classes in West Bengal granted since 2010, finding such reservations to vacancies in services and posts in the state illegal.
Banerjee had said she will “not accept” the ruling, dubbing it as a verdict passed under the influence of the BJP.
“It is quite evident that TMC doesn’t like those who expose its treachery and lies. I am astonished to see how the party is questioning the judiciary. Don’t they have any faith in the judiciary and our Constitution?
“The way they are attacking judges is unprecedented. I would like to know whether the TMC would now let loose its goons on judges as they are exposed?” Modi said.
Reaffirming his commitment to combat corruption, the PM said after his resolve of “na khaunga, na khane dunga” (I will neither accept bribes nor allow others to do so), his new guarantee is “jisne khaya hain usey bahar nikalunga” (those who have taken bribes will be taken to task).
Modi said the entire country is seeing how TMC is “strangulating the judiciary” in West Bengal.
The prime minister also took umbrage at Banerjee’s recent comments against a few monks of the Ramakrishna Mission and Bharat Sevashram Sangha and alleged these socio-religious organisations were being threatened to appease the TMC’s vote bank.
“The TMC cannot tolerate the truth. It targets anyone who exposes the party’s crimes. You have seen that a TMC MLA had recently said that Hindus will be drowned in river Bhagirathi.
“On this, the saints and monks of Bengal had asked the party to correct its mistake. But, the TMC started abusing the monks for the sake of appeasement politics,” Modi asserted.
Modi said the Ramakrishna Mission and Bharat Sevashram Sangha are known for service and morality across the world, but the “TMC is openly threatening them, warning them from an open platform”.
He also hit out at the “corrupt” INDIA bloc, “including the TMC”, and said those indulging in such practices will not be spared.
“Ten years back, I had said ‘Na khaunga, na khane dunga’. Today, I want to give a new guarantee that ‘jisne khaya hai usey bahar nikalunga’. Those who have looted the people of Bengal will have to return the money,” Modi said.
The PM criticised the TMC over the Sandeshkhali case, stating that it “refrained” from taking action against culprits and is now “pointing fingers at women who suffered atrocities”.
“When the sisters of Sandeshkhali demanded justice, the TMC targeted them. I applaud the courage and bravery of our sister Rekha Patra, the BJP candidate from Basirhat. She is fighting against a force like the TMC; the women of this state and the country are with her,” he said.
Modi’s remarks come amid multiple purported videos of Sandeshkhali women circulating in the public domain, claiming that a local saffron party leader made those women sign blank papers, which were later filled up as complaints of sexual assault. However, the prime minister did not directly refer to those videos.
PTI could not independently verify the authenticity of the videos, which have kept the state’s political situation volatile in recent days.
The PM also slammed the TMC for opposing the CAA in Bengal due to its vote bank politics.
“Due to the politics of appeasement, the TMC is spreading canards against the CAA. But, today the whole country is witness to hundreds of refugees getting citizenship. Nothing has been taken away from anyone; rather, they have been respected as sons and daughters of Mother India,” he said.
Reaching out to the Matua community of Bengal, who are expected to benefit most from the CAA, he said, “Now, no power in the world can stop you from getting Indian citizenship.”
Addressing another rally at Baruipur under the Jadavpur Lok Sabha constituency, Modi asserted that the TMC could never do any good for youths of the state.
“The TMC and good governance have no relation. You won’t find good governance in Bengal even under a microscope. The TMC works only for its vote bank and can never do anything good for youths of the state. The party has no vision,” the PM said.
