Union Minister Smriti Irani addressed a rally in Howrah, West Bengal on Sunday as campaigning for the Assembly Elections in the state heats up. She slammed the Trinamool Congress for its targeted attack against the ‘Jai Shri Ram’ slogan and over the corruption carnage that has been unleashed in the state.
“People will not support a political party which makes them fight among themselves and hates the Central govt for its own profit. No patriot can stay for even a single minute in a party which insults the slogan of ‘Jai Shri Ram’,” said Smriti Irani.
The senior BJP leader also addressed the gathering in fluent Bangla. She said that in light of the lockdown, the central government had allotted rice and lentils to the poor under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana. However, the Trinamool Congress stole the grains, she said.
#WATCH | During COVID, throughout the country under the PM Garib Kalyan Scheme, 80 crore people got 5kg rice grains & 1kg dal for 8 months. In West Bengal during the Lockdown, TMC only misappropriated(stole) paddy & lentils: BJP leader Smriti Irani at rally in Howrah, West Bengal pic.twitter.com/0AIuH18Cbr
— ANI (@ANI) January 31, 2021
Smriti Irani also slammed the Trinamool Congress over the ‘cut money’ scandal. “Where there’s corruption, there is TMC.” She said that the people of Bengal have decided that this time, the TMC will be thrown out of power and BJP will win the elections.
Minister @smritiirani speaking in Bengali in Howrah today. pic.twitter.com/px0nskiRP6
— Vasudha Venugopal (@vasudha_ET) January 31, 2021
During the rally, Smriti Irani also gave a catchy slogan for the party. “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Didi o akhon jaanen Banglay poddo phool ghore ghore (Even Didi knows in Bengal, the lotus flower is in every house).”
. @smritiirani Ji speaks fluent Bengali as she starts addressing the crowd in Howrah with slogan ” Hare Krishna Hare Hare, BJP Ghore Ghore” #BJPGorbeSonarBangla pic.twitter.com/22t8cyO1iz
— Akshay Singh (@iakshaysinghel) January 31, 2021
Some on social media were surprised to see Smriti Irani speaking fluently in Bangla.
Pleasantly surprised to see @smritiirani speak fluent Bengali at a rally in Howrah.
— Soumyadipta (@Soumyadipta) January 31, 2021
I have a #GenuineQuestion.
How many languages does she speak? pic.twitter.com/3Lsk250OoI
The rally in Howrah was attended by Suvendu Adhikari and other leaders who had recently jumped ship from Trinamool Congress. Politics has heated up in West Bengal and there have been instances where TMC leaders have insulted the ‘Jai Shri Ram’ slogan.
Senior leader Madan Mitra had recently said that he would go to the High Court to have the slogan banned after Mamata Banerjee walked off the stage during an event at Kolkata’s Victoria Memorial for Netaji birth anniversary celebrations with Prime Minister Modi in attendance.