A hot Wednesday noon saw Prime Minister Narendra Modi firing a broadside at Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and the Congress for trying to “weaken and demean” the armed forces, trampling Bengal under dynastic rules, and perpetrating a corrupt regimes. Modi called Mamata “speed breaker” in the path of development.
Addressing two mammoth rallies — one at Siliguri in North Bengal from where he kick-started his election campaign for the State, and the second under a sweltering-hot sun at the Brigade Parade Ground in Kolkata — the Prime Minister said “India” and more so “Bengal” have been trampled by dynastic rules.
In an apparent reference to the Congress high command, he said, “One dynasty is so much tainted by corruption that the entire family has to be currently out on bail.” He went on to add, “A dynasty of aunt-and-nephew (TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee) has trampled Bengal like never before which is why the people of this State have made up their mind to throw them out once and for ever.”
Wondering as to why these grand alliance of “the thugs” are after him shouting ‘Modi hatao’ (oust Modi), the Prime Minister asked: “Is that because I have committed the sins strengthening the armed forces, letting the armed forces to strike at the heartland of terror in Pakistan, or encouraging the scientists to test the anti-satellite system catapulting India among the most powerful nations of the world which has of late been watching us with dismay?”
He wondered whether they are targeting him because his Government gave homes, cooking gas, toilets to the poor or made the dreams of common Indians come true.
Attacking Mamata for running a Government of chit fund scamsters, Modi said, “You have a Didi in Bengal who acts as the speed-breaker in the path of the State’s development by not allowing the Central schemes to reach the common households. Now a time has come when this speed-breaker has to be removed. I am waiting for this speed-breaker to go so that development can gather speed and poverty is eliminated. If poverty is eliminated Didi’s policies will be scrapped.”
On the ponzi scam he said, “Didi’s Ministers, officials and aides ran away with the money of my poor brothers and sisters. They have looted the poor people,” adding everyone will finally be brought to book.
Resurrecting the issue of Balakot air strike, the Prime Minister said the Opposition parties, including the Congress and Mamata’s TMC, went about insulting our armed forces by demanding the proof of air attack on Pakistan terror camps.
“At a time when his Government was trying to strengthen the armed forces putting it back on the path of glory, the Congress is trying to weaken it by promising to scrap Armed Forces Special Power Act in Jammu & Kashmir like they have done to TADA, POTA etc,” Modi said attacking the 10 Janpath for compromising on the country’s security.
“It seems that the Congress is so much annoyed with the chowkidars (watchmen of which he claims to be one) that they are now trying to take it out even on the armed forces,” Modi said.
Contesting alone the BJP is targeting “at least 42 seats” from Bengal.