War of words have ensued between the Trinamool Congress and the BJP hours before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s scheduled visit to Alipurduar in Bengal where he is likely to address a public rally in the sidelines of laying the foundation of a gas distribution project.
While a tweet from the Prime Minister’s end read “I will be addressing a BJP West Bengal public meeting in Alipurduar tomorrow afternoon,” adding how “Over the last decade, the various schemes of the NDA Government have been greatly appreciated by the people of West Bengal. At the same time, they are tired of the corruption and poor administration of the TMC,” the latter hit back in equal measures.
In a counter tweet the TMC official website wrote “since the migratory birds are making their seasonal visit to Bengal, why not answer one simple question: Why is the Centre still withholding Bengal’s rightful dues amounting to `1.7 lakh crore?”
During his visit to Alipurduar the Prime Minister on Thursday is likely to lay the foundation stone of a gas distribution project state BJP president Sukanta Majumdar, said adding the events would follow each other.
“First, he (Prime Minister) will be at the government programme and then he will address a party meeting in Alipurduar. The PM will then leave for Patna in the evening,” Majumdar also a Union Minister said adding how “excited” he was as “it will be his first visit after ‘Operation Sindoor’” against Pakistan post terror attack on innocent tourists in Pahalgam leading to 26 deaths.
The exchange of fiery words started on Tuesday evening with TMC leader and Bengal Minister Udayan Guha — like some of his other party colleagues — accusing the Prime Minister of taking political advantage of Operation Sindoor.
“You have hot Sindoor running in your veins and now you are out to sell that Sindoor all over the country,” for electoral purposes,” Guha said.
His party colleague and TMC MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar too hit out at the Prime Minister for “Taking political advantage of Operation Sindoor which was a military action against the enemies of India. The Prime Minister is conducting himself in a manner as if he has fought the battle (against Pakistan). The BJP is trying to exploit the Army action to its political advantage which is very very deplorable.”
BJP leader Shehzad Poonawalla immediately hit back saying the TMC should be renamed the Mir Jafar Party for “insulting the poor” and “mocking at our armed forces.”
The BJP leader said, “The meaning of TMC today shouldn’t be Trinamool Congress, but The Mir Jafar Company, considering the remarks made by Guha on Operation Sindoor. He has not only insulted India’s military but also disrespected the people of India by saying that Sindoor is being sold, mocking those who once sold tea and are now selling the Sindoor.”