Kolkata: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday accused the ruling TMC of opposing the SIR of electoral rolls to “protect infiltrators”, alleging that unchecked illegal immigration under its rule had altered the demographic balance in several parts of West Bengal.
Addressing a rally at the Brigade Parade Ground here, Modi attacked the state’s ruling party, accusing it of encouraging infiltration, changing the state’s demography, and targeting constitutional institutions, while asserting that the “countdown has begun” for ousting the “cruel” Mamata Banerjee government in the assembly elections likely to be held in April.
Claiming that infiltration had become a major security issue for the state, the prime minister alleged that the TMC government had encouraged it for electoral gains, asserting that the demographic profile of several areas had changed and Bengali Hindus were being pushed into a minority.
“Due to unchecked infiltration by the TMC, the demography of Bengal has changed in many areas. The TMC is deliberately making Hindus a minority in several places,” Modi alleged.
Framing the assembly elections as a decisive battle for the state’s future, Modi urged people to bring about political change.
“This election is not just about changing a government. This election is about saving Bengal’s soul. This election is about ending cut money. This election is about freedom from fear,” the prime minister said.
The PM said the ruling party feared the SIR exercise because it would remove the names of illegal voters from the electoral rolls.
“These people oppose SIR so that the names of infiltrators cannot be removed from the voter list, and the list cannot be purified. They are opposing SIR to protect its vote bank of infiltrators. They are not even ready to remove the names of those who have already died,” Modi said.
According to official data released after the revision exercise, 63.66 lakh names, around 8.3 per cent of the electorate, have been deleted since the process began in November last year, reducing the voter base in the state from about 7.66 crore to just over 7.04 crore.
In addition, over 60.06 lakh electors have been placed under the “under adjudication” category, meaning their eligibility will be determined through legal scrutiny in the coming weeks.
Saturday’s rally was Modi’s first visit to the state after the publication of the post-SIR electoral rolls on February 28, which has triggered sharp political debate in the run-up to the elections to the 294-member state assembly.
Modi also accused the ruling party of opposing citizenship for Hindu refugees who had fled religious persecution in neighbouring countries.
“When it comes to giving citizenship to persecuted Hindu refugees, the TMC opposes it because they do not consider them their vote bank,” he said.
The voter list revision exercise and the issue of infiltration have emerged as key political flashpoints in Bengal ahead of the polls, with the BJP accusing the TMC of protecting illegal immigrants while the ruling party has alleged that the process is aimed at disenfranchising genuine voters.
Sharpening his attack on the Mamata Banerjee government, Modi alleged that the state administration functioned with the support of criminal elements.
“The TMC government runs on the support of goons and criminals. Extortion and cut money are their sources of income. To strengthen such gangs, they bring infiltrators. Because of infiltration, Bengal’s bread, daughters and land are under threat,” he alleged.
The prime minister also accused the TMC of targeting constitutional institutions, including the Election Commission, over the voter roll revision exercise.
“The TMC is busy attacking constitutional institutions like the Election Commission. This is shameful,” he said.
Modi alleged that the ruling party looks for ways every day to attack the constitutional system, claiming that violence follows whenever there is talk of ensuring a free and fair electoral process.
He said the credibility of institutions that conduct elections in an independent and impartial manner is being questioned, and similar doubts are cast on the country’s armed forces.
“They even demanded proof from the Indian Air Force after the Balakot strikes (in 2019),” he said.
He also accused the ruling party of trying to carry political disorder from the state to Parliament.
“You have seen how papers are torn in Parliament, and discussions are obstructed. The country is shocked by such shameful behaviour,” Modi said.
In a strong political message ahead of the elections, the PM declared that the ruling party’s days were numbered.
He asserted that a BJP government in the state would bring governance based on the principle of “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas”.
“The countdown has begun for those who are running the ‘great jungle raj’ in Bengal. I want to remind TMC that its days of hooliganism are ending. That day is not far when the rule of law will once again be established in Bengal. Those who break the law and commit atrocities will not be spared,” Modi said.
Issuing a warning to those allegedly involved in political intimidation and violence, he said strict legal action would be taken against them.
“Those TMC goons who threaten you, their days of fear will begin. Criminals will fear the law. Infiltrators will fear the law. Appeasement politics will fear the law. Such criminals will have only one place- jail, jail, jail,” he said.
