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Nation’s progress, corruption-free Bengal key issues in Lok Sabha polls: Modi
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Cooch Behar had swept the 2019 Lok Sabha and 2021 assembly polls. PM Modi said that strengthening the BJP is necessary for Bengal’s development
Kolkata: Making India the world’s third-largest economy and freeing West Bengal of corruption unleashed by the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) are the key agendas in the coming Lok Sabha polls, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday at Cooch Behar in north Bengal.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Cooch Behar had swept the 2019 Lok Sabha and 2021 assembly polls.
Speaking about the raging local issues, such as the alleged sexual exploitation of village women in the Sandeshkhali area of North 24 Parganas district by local TMC leaders, Modi said that strengthening the BJP is necessary for Bengal’s development.
Also Read: Mamata Banerjee’s ‘poisonous snake’ dig at BJP during Lok Sabha poll rally in Bengal’s Cooch Behar
“Only the BJP can stop atrocity on women. The nation has seen how the TMC used its full power to shield the guilty at Sandehskhali. BJP has vowed to punish them. They will spend the rest of their lives in prison,” Modi said, emphasing it is necessary to vote for the “Lotus symbol”.
Modi also targeted the TMC for opposing the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) which chief minister Mamata Banerjee has alleged to be a precursor to the enforcement of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) that may lead to an Assam-like situation.
“TMC is spreading rumours to mislead people. It is Modi’s guarantee that CAA will grant citizenship to people,” he said.
Passed in the Parliament in 2019 and enforced on March 11 this year, CAA offers citizenship to non-Muslims who entered India from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh before 2015 to escape religious persecution.
“This moment in the 21st century is crucial for our nation. It is time to make India a strong nation. Bengal and its people will be benefitted. It is time to fulfil the dreams of Maharaja Naranarayan, brave warrior Chila Ray and Thakur Panchanan Barma,” Modi said, paying tributes to the three icons of the Koch Rajbanshi community that have a sizeable presence in the BJP-controlled Cooch Behar, Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar Lok Sabha constituencies. All three constituencies will go to polls on April 19 in the first of the seven phases.
In 2019, the BJP bagged a record 18 of the state’s 42 Lok Saha seats. In North Bengal, it secured seven of the eight seats. The party has targeted 25 seats this time.
Appealing to the people to cast their votes on March 19 for the BJP, Modi said that all should remember that this is an election for India.
Also Read: PM Modi’s Sandeshkhali reminder to Mamata in Coochbehar: ‘Culprits will spend life in jail’
“Delhi cannot have a weak government. It needs a strong and stable government,” he said, and asked, “Shouldn’t India become the world’s third strongest economy? Doesn’t Modi give you a strong government?”
“...After Independence, people saw only the Congress model for decades. Over the past 10 years, the nation has seen the BJP government getting elected with absolute majority. Modi is a small servant of the people. Modi takes strong and big decisions because he has to fulfil the dream of 1.4 billion people,” said Modi.
“Your dreams comprise Modi’s resolutions. Modi has taken strong decisions to free the country of corruption and terrorism so that 1.4 billion people get new opportunities. Even villages are getting into the digital age. Many developed nations have not achieved this yet. People from Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities are getting these benefits,” he said.
Targeting the INDIA bloc and its leaders, Modi said that the INDIA alliance of Left, Congress and the TMC is made up of lies.
“Here (in Bengal) you see TMC and Congress fighting each other but in Delhi, they share food from the same plate,” he said and assured that in the coming years, stronger actions will be taken against corruption. “Sending a message to TMC in this election is necessary,” Modi said.
Slamming Congress, Modi said that the party has only raised slogans but BJP has dragged 250 million people out of poverty in 10 years.
“It happened because our intentions were honest. If intentions are right, then the results are right. Modi is thinking about your future. He is removing hurdles,” he said, citing examples of abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, and reservation for women in Parliament.
Also Read: People seen just the trailer, lot more to be done: PM Modi’s poll pitch in Bihar
Speaking about his government’s guarantees, he said that Modi’s guarantee starts where the people’s hopes die. He said that the people of Bengal are getting free ration, and millions of families are getting electricity, water and toilets at their homes under the central government’s scheme.
“Our government has deposited Rs.8,500 crore directly to farmers under the Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme. The list is long. Families in every corner of India have benefitted. What happened in 10 years is just a trailer. I have more to do,” he said.
Reacting to Modi’s speech, TMC spokesperson Santanu Sen said that the entire West Bengal knows it was Banerjee who cracked down on chit fund operators.
“Modi talks about the safety of women in Bengal but kept silent on the plight of the woman who was paraded naked in Manipur. He has not bothered to visit Manipur even once after the killings started last year,” Sen said.
West Bengal chief minister Banerjee also addressed voters at Cooch Behar and the adjoining Jalpaiguri hours before Modi arrived after his Bihar rally.
