In a fierce counter-attack, Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday called Narendra Modi a liar of the first order whose term in his office had already expired making him fit to be called an “expiry babu”.
Mamata said, “If Modi and his fascist party returned to power, they will permanently dismantle democracy from India.”
Throwing an “open challenge” and inviting the Prime Minister in a nationally televised debate, Mamata said, “You (PM) are a liar who peddles falsehood to win elections.”
Wondering why the Prime Minister was not being acted upon for breaking the electoral model code by raising issues related to the armed forces, Mamata asked, “Why the Indian Army should be called a Modi Sena. There an Army jawan sacrifices his life, gives his blood for the security of this country and here a politician uses that sacrifice for political purposes.”
She said, “Modi is trying to use air strike and surgical strike for votes, now he will see ‘voters’ strike’ that will throw him out of power.”
Attacking the Prime Minister for questioning the patriotism of the Opposition parties, Mamata said, “You call yourself a chowkidar,
but you are actually a fascist, who will ruin the country’s democratic tradition if allowed to retain power for the second time.”
Returning fire on patriotism, she said, “Modi questions our credentials but I ask you whose friends murdered Gandhiji... We will not take lessons of nationalism from you.”
Addressing a massive election rally at Dinhata in Coochbehar bordering Assam, she said, “If he (Modi) and his party (BJP) come to power, then they will devour democracy in India. There will be no election, no right of common man,” adding, “I am being targeted so much because I am raising the right issues and telling you the truth.”
Attacking the Prime Minister for blaming her for promoting chit fund culture in Bengal, Mamata said he is blissfully forgetting about the Deputy Chief Minister of Assam whose name is also there in the list.”
Attacking the Prime Minister for leading the party of looters, she said, “All the chit fund wallas and criminals have crossed over to BJP.”
She also pointed out that according to a CBI chargesheet, BJP candidate of Coochbehar Nishit Pramanik (a former TMC leader) has multiple cases of human trafficking, dacoity etc, slapped on him.
Attacking the Prime Minister for spreading lies the Bengal Chief Minister said, “I am ashamed to think of a Prime Minister who only peddles lies not only about the Opposition but also his claimed successes.”
She said, “during the BJP regime India lost 1 crore jobs due to demonetisation and GST whereas in Bengal we created 40 lakh new jobs.”
She said, “I challenge him to join me in an open debate and then I will see him. I have brought the charges against him let them file a defamation case against me and I will face them.”
On the Central schemes, she said, “Most schemes that the Prime Minister was vouching for was imitated from Bengal.”
In most cases “from rural housing, to power, to 100-day work, Kanyashree, to free medical treatment, Bengal has ranked first, according to the Central Government’s records and the Prime Minister is claiming those successes as his own,” she said adding Modi with his “56 inches chest is spreading 560 lies.”
Listing her party’s success she reminded how Bengal had issued 9 lakh SC/ST certificates in 7 years when in the past 70 years the State could manage only 2.5 lakh such certificates. “We are giving scholarships to OBCs, minorities, poor, SCs STs, women.”
Daring the BJP to invoke the promised NRC in Bengal she said, “In Assam they have thrown out 20 lakh Hindu Bengalis and 23 lakh Muslim Bengalis,” who had come to India under Indira-Mujib pact that makes them legitimate citizens of this country.” “They will face the consequence if they repeat it in Bengal,” she said adding the Prime Minister and his party “do not know the history, geography and culture of Bengal. This State will never promote communal politics,” she said.