Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said he has come to West Bengal to make people believe in ashol poribortan (real change), with everyone getting a share in development. Modi was addressing his first election rally in West Bengal after a month-long poll schedule was announced for the state.
“Ashol poriborton means a Bengal where every region and every class will have equal participation in development. A Bengal where there is a modern infrastructure of the 21st century. A Bengal where even the poorest of the poor get full opportunity to move forward, the youth get adequate opportunities for education and employment, people are not forced to flee, trade and business flourished, maximum investment come,” Modi said at brigade parade ground rally in Kolkata on March 7.Thank you Kolkata!
Thank you West Bengal.
BJP is the state’s preferred choice. pic.twitter.com/5C9Fzvv5CF
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 7, 2021
Poriborton was the poll promise of Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress when it ended the 30-year-long rule of the Left Front in West Bengal in 2011.
In a dig at Banerjee and her nephew, Abhishek Banerjee, the Prime Minister said, "The people of West Bengal had chosen you in role of 'Didi' (elder sister) but you preferred being bua (aunt) to your bhatija (nephew)".
Speaking at the rally, the Prime Minister said, “Why did you choose to be the aunt of only one nephew? Instead of fulfilling the hopes of millions of nieces and nephews of Bengal, why did you start fulfilling your nephew's greed? You too could not give up the Congress’ way of nepotism against which you once rebelled.”
Banerjee is seeking a third term in a row but the BJP is going all out to stop the Trinamool, with senior party leaders like Modi and home minister Shah expected to criss-cross the state that votes in eight phases, beginning March 27.
The PM said that Bengal relied on “Mamata didi” for change but she and her cadre broke the trust. Lotus would bloom in Bengal because of the muck created by TMC, which replaced loktantra (democracy) with lootantra (systematic plunder), he said. Lotus is the party symbol of the BJP.
“Instead of promoting democracy, you promoted corruption, and thus the lotus is blooming. You've kept the poor away from the benefits they could've received, and thus the lotus is blooming! You've pushed Bengal towards separation instead of development, and thus the lotus is blooming. You've divided people on religious lines, and thus the lotus is blooming,” Modi said.
Bengal wants development and peace, he said, promising that he would work round the clock for the state’s development.
“The democratic system is destroyed in West Bengal. We will bring real change in the state where people will regain faith in civil and police administration,” he said.
Talking about the condition of women in the state, the PM said, “You are well aware of the condition of 'Maa, Manush, Maati' in the state. Mothers are being attacked on streets and in their houses. Recently, the cruelty unleashed on an 80-year-old mother has shown their cruel face to the entire country”. Maa, Maati, Manush (Mother, land and people) has been Trianmool's calling card.
He also took a dig at Banerjee candidature from Nandigram seat.
“Some days back, when you (Mamata Banerjee) rode a scooty, everyone was praying that you do not get hurt. It is good that you didn't fall, otherwise, you would have made the state your enemy where the scooty was manufactured. Your scooty took a turn towards Nandigram instead of going to Bhowanipore. Didi, I wish everyone well and don't want anyone hurt. But what can I do if the scooty is destined to fall in Nandigram?” said Modi. Banerjee has chosen to contest from Nandigram instead of her constituency of Bhowanipore.