Modi attacks TMC over corruption, sets target for Bengal BJP to win all 42 LS seats
Kolkata: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday accused West Bengal's ruling Trinamul Congress of possessing “mastery” in making “every scheme into a scam,” duplicity and extortion in the central government’s public welfare projects.
He also synonymised TMC with “Tu, Mein, Corruption hi Corruption” for patronizing graft, dynasticism and betrayal after repeating his anguish on the Sandeshkhali unrest and reminding the BJP of targeting to win all the 42 Lok Sabha seats in the state.
The PM, who launched many national projects worth ₹15,000 crores and led a roadshow at Krishnanagar in Nadia, made the virulent attack on the TMC a day after chief minister Mamata Banerjee met him and again demanded the pending central funds’ release.
Mr Modi told a BJP rally on the second and final day of his state visit, “TMC always pastes its stickers on the central government schemes, passes them off as it's own and enjoys the benefits. The citizens of the country will be shocked to know that the TMC government turns each and every scheme into a scam. TMC has a mastery in changing schemes to scams. This has become an identity of Bengal. This is how TMC defamed Bengal and runs.”
He then claimed, “The way the TMC government is functioning it has left Bengal hopeless. People of Bengal have repeatedly given huge mandates to TMC with lot of expectations. But TMC has become synonymous with atrocities and betrayal. For them, corruption and parivarvaad, instead of prosperity of Bengal, are the priorities. TMC means atrocities, corruption, parivarvaad and betrayal. It wants to keep people poor so that it's politics, game go on. Thus, definition of TMC has changed. It now stands for ‘Tu, Mein, Corruption hi Corruption’.”
To justify his charges, the PM pointed out that Tolabaj (extortionists) of TMC control the central schemes in the state and get it's share. He informed that 25 lakh job cards were found fake in the state under the 100-day work scheme, MNREGA. “Cards were made in the names of those who weren't born even. The money which were supposed to go to the poor labourers in villages were looted by the Tolabaj of TMC,” Mr Modi added.
On law and order, Mr Modi observed, “Sisters of Sandeshkhali cried for justice. But the TMC government did not pay heed to them. Here criminal, not the police, decides when he will surrender or get arrested. The state government never wanted the arrest of the mastermind. But the women power of Bengal stood up as goddess Durga which forced the state government to bow down.”
He later held a meeting with state BJP president Sukanta Majumdar and state leader of the opposition Suvendu Adhikari for around 15 minutes at the rally venue. TMC however hit back at the PM over his corruption allegations and posted on X-handle with a photo-grab of Mr Adhikari of being caught earlier accepting cash in Narada sting operation, “This is PM @narendramodi Ki Guarantee: 𝐁𝐡𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐲𝐨𝐧 𝐤𝐚 𝐒𝐚𝐚𝐭𝐡, 𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐡 𝐤𝐚 𝐒𝐚𝐫𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐬𝐡.”
Countering Mr Modi’s claims on the fake MNREGA job cards, state industry minister Shashi Panja said, “The PM spread lies unfortunately. The highest number of fake job cards were found in Uttar Pradesh where funds were not stopped by the Centre because BJP is in power there. But funds did not come here leaving 59 job card holders deprived.”
