Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday launched a scathing attack against the ruling TMC on the issue of corruption in West Bengal and claimed that Mamata Banerjee's party has become synonymous with atrocity and betrayal.
"The TMC government has totally disappointed West Bengal and its people. Despite getting a big mandate by the people of West Bengal repeatedly, the TMC has become a synonym of atrocity and betrayal," PM Modi said addressing the crowd in Krishnanagar.
“TMC means betrayal, corruption and 'parivarvad',” PM Modi said. “TMC stands for ‘Tu, Main aur corruption hi corruption’.”
READ | Modi to arrive in Bengal today for two-day visit
Speaking at the gathering, the prime minister also set a target for the state BJP to win all the 42 Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal.
“This time do vote for BJP extensively… The party will clinch all 42 seats in Bengal,” Modi said.
"Seeing you all gathered here in such huge numbers is giving me the confidence to say 'NDA sarkar, 400 paar'," he told the crowd at the 'Bijoy Sankalpa Sabha' in the state.
{{/usCountry}}"Seeing you all gathered here in such huge numbers is giving me the confidence to say 'NDA sarkar, 400 paar'," he told the crowd at the 'Bijoy Sankalpa Sabha' in the state.
{{/usCountry}}PM Modi pointed to the troubling events in Sandeshkhali, where women came forward with accusations of sexual abuse against TMC leaders. He criticised the state government for allegedly aligning itself with the accused rather than standing by the "distressed mothers and sisters" of the region.
"The mothers and sisters kept pleading for justice, but the TMC government did not listen to them. They took votes in the name of 'Maa Mati Manush' but now the mothers and sisters are weeping in West Bengal. The situation in the state is such that here, the criminals decide when to get arrested," the prime minister said.
Earlier this week, Shahjahan Sheikh, a local TMC leader facing allegations of sexual assault and land grabbing in Sandeshkhali, was arrested in connection with the attack of Enforcement Directorate officials in January. His aide Ajit Maity was also arrested following protests by a large number of women who levelled allegations of land grabbing and extortion against him.
Prime Minister Modi is on a two-day visit to West Bengal. During his visit to the state on Saturday, the Prime Minister inaugurated projects including the doubling of the Damodar-Mohishila rail line, the introduction of a third line between Rampurhat and Murarai, the doubling of the Bazarsau-Azimganj rail line, and the establishment of a new line connecting Azimganj to Murshidabad. The PM also initiated the construction of Phase II of the Raghunathpur Thermal Power Station located in the Purulia district.
Later in the day, the PM will also visit Bihar's Aurangabad and lay the foundation stone of multiple development projects worth more than ₹21,400 crore.
(With inputs from PTI)