Mamata Runs A School Of Brutality Where Extortion, Anarchy Are Part Of Syllabus: PM Modi

Lambasting West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday alleged that the TMC supremo “stands like a wall” blocking the Centre’s schemes in West Bengal.

The PM made the comments while addressing an election rally in West Bengal’s Kharagpur.

He also alleged that the Congress, the TMC and the Left had stalled development works in the state for decades at end.

Rejecting the outsider tag Banerjee has given to his party, the prime minister said, "The BJP is the only real party of Bengal. Syama Prasad Mookerjee founded Jana Sangh, the BJP's forerunner. He was the son of Bengal. Bengal is in BJP's DNA."

He also accused Banerjee of indulging in politics of appeasement. “Mamata Banerjee is playing "khela" (game) of appeasement for vote bank politics,” the PM said adding that the Bengal CM runs a, “school of brutality where 'tolabaji' (extortion), cut-money, syndicate and anarchy are part of the syllabus.”

"Even to sell kendu leaves tribals (in Jangalmamhal) have to give cut money. Tell me don't you have to? In Bengal for everything one has to cough up cut money (commission)," he alleged.

Addressing his second rally in three days in West Bengal, the prime minister also said industries were closing down in the state while "syndicate culture and mafia raj" was flourishing.

"Industrial units are getting shut. You know, a single-window system is created for speedy clearances for industries. The rest of the country is growing under the single window system introduced by the BJP.

Taking a dig at Banerjee’s nephew and TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee, Modi said, “Only a single window exists in Bengal today and it is the window of 'Bhaipo' (nephew), no work gets done without crossing it.”

The BJP has often accused Abhishek of running syndicates that extort money from common people. In local parlance, syndicates refer to gangs run by TMC toughs who sell substandard construction material to people at exorbitant rates.

Ridiculing Banerjee over the "khela hobe" (game will happen) slogan, Modi said, "Didir khela shesh hobe, vikas aarambh (Didi's game will be over and development will start). Didi will not be allowed to play with the future of Bengal."

Referring to the 'Ayushman Bharat' health insurance scheme, the prime minister said the TMC government has not implemented it as it thought the Centre will get credit for the measure.

Modi further underlined the need for a double engine propelled growth in Bengal, where governments run by the same party at the Centre and in the state will take it forward on the path of progress.

Bengal, he said, had seen the "karnama" (exploits) of the Congress, "barbadi" (destruction) of the Left, while the TMC smashed to smithereens "choor choor" your dreams in the last 70 years.

"Give BJP five years. We will rectify the destruction caused by them in just five years," he asserted.

The prime minister said the Banerjee government was also opposing the New Education Policy which laid emphasis on the use of local language as the medium of instruction even in higher technical institutions so even the sons and daughters of poor people become doctors and engineers.

"We want to realise the dreams of children of poor families to become doctors, to become successful in life, but Didi even opposes this policy. She has no concern for millions of poor children," he said.

Referring to the 50-minute outage of WhatsApp on Friday night, Modi said people got upset with it. "But in Bengal development has been down for 50 years....your dreams have been down for 50 years," he said.

In an apparent reference to 'Didi Ke Bolo' (Tell Didi) campaign of the TMC, Modi, whose speech was peppered with wisecracks in Bengali language, said, "People of Bengal have been saying Didi ke bolchhi uni sunchhen na (we are telling Didi but she doesn't listen."

Flaying the TMC government over "rampant corruption", the prime minister said, "She (Banerjee) gets angry when asked about irregularities in cyclone relief, she sends to jail those who question the theft of ration (during lockdown), has people beaten up with sticks when they ask about coal theft, and gets burnt the houses of those demanding jobs."

He further alleged that people's constitutional right to vote was snatched away by the TMC during the 2018 panchayat elections.

"I tell the police and civil administration and they should keep in mind that there is nothing more important than saving the Constitution and democracy," he said.

There were allegations that thousands of TMC candidates got elected unopposed as aspirants of other parties were threatened not to file nominations.

(With PTI inputs)