Jangipur (WB): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday sharpened the BJP’s pitch on identity and infiltration in poll-bound West Bengal, promising to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) to end what he called the “politics of appeasement”, while asserting that the party would not allow Bengalis to become a minority in the state.
Addressing a rally at Jangipur in Muslim-majority Murshidabad district, Modi framed the upcoming assembly elections as a battle to protect West Bengal’s identity and future, while accusing the ruling TMC of thriving on appeasement politics and the “support of infiltrators”.
“The nation’s security is of paramount importance to us. The BJP’s resolve is to implement UCC in West Bengal to end the politics of appeasement forever,” Modi said, a day after Union Home Minister Amit Shah released the party’s manifesto promising to bring in the law within six months.
Claiming that rapid demographic changes were taking place in several parts of the state, Modi alleged that the TMC had abandoned its old slogan of ‘Maa-Mati-Manush’ and was now depending on infiltrators and vote-bank politics to retain power.
“The TMC came to power by raising the slogan of ‘Maa-Mati-Manush’. But now, it wants to form a government for infiltrators with their votes. West Bengal will no longer tolerate appeasement and vote-bank politics. We will not allow Bengalis to become a minority in the state,” he said.
The prime minister said this election is about saving West Bengal’s identity.
“West Bengal has made up its mind: for its identity and future, it will bring about a change,” he said.
“Bengal’s history shows that when it resolves for change, no power in the world can stop it. Whoever challenged Bengal had their arrogance shattered, from the British to the Congress and the Left… now it’s the TMC’s turn,” the PM added.
He also referred to violence during Ram Navami processions in parts of the state this year and accused the TMC of protecting those responsible.
“Ram Navami was celebrated peacefully across India, but in West Bengal, such rallies were attacked and violence took place under the protection of the TMC,” he said.
“The TMC, sensing defeat in the polls, had started circulating AI-generated videos. Do not fall into this trap,” Modi said, in an apparent reference to a video circulated by the ruling party purportedly involving suspended leader and Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP) founder Humayun Kabir.
Stepping up his attack on the Mamata Banerjee government, Modi alleged that after coming to power, the TMC had become a “carbon copy” of the Left Front.
He accused the ruling party of perpetuating the same politics of intimidation and extortion that West Bengal witnessed during the Left rule.
“Arms, drugs, cattle smuggling, cut-money, and commissions — TMC has taken the contract for everything,” Modi alleged.
Issuing a warning to those allegedly involved in corruption, Modi said there would be no leniency if the BJP came to power.
“No red carpet will be laid out for those who devour the rights of the people; the doors of the jail will be flung open for them,” he said.
Referring to the RG Kar hospital rape and murder case, Modi said people had not forgotten how the TMC government had allegedly stood by the accused.
Attacking the government on the economy, Modi claimed that West Bengal had fallen behind other states because of corruption and the “syndicate raj”.
“Every state is engaged in increasing its GDP and economy, but West Bengal’s share in the country’s GDP is declining rapidly. West Bengal has accumulated a debt of more than Rs 8 lakh crore,” he said.
Modi claimed that while more than 25 crore people had been lifted out of poverty under the BJP-led government at the Centre, people in West Bengal were being pushed into distress because investments and industries were leaving the state.
“Because of the TMC’s corruption and ‘syndicate raj’, thousands of companies have left West Bengal. No new industry is coming to the state. Thousands of jobs have been lost and the youth are being forced to migrate to other states,” he said.
He also said Murshidabad’s silk farmers had suffered because of the TMC government’s neglect.
