JOYNAGAR/ ULUBERIA: Claiming he saw a “wave” in BJP’s favour in Bengal that was getting “stronger” after a “robust start” in the first phase of elections, PM Modi said on Thursday that CM Mamata Banerjee had “conceded defeat” in Nandigram.
“You have seen what happened in Nandigram. It shows Didi has conceded defeat. All these indicate that BJP is going to form government in Bengal. Filing nominations is due in the next phases of polls. There is a rumour that Didi is going to file nominations from somewhere else,” Modi said at Uluberia.“People came out in large numbers on Thursday. It appears from the voters’ mood that people in Nandigram were doing what the entire Bengal wanted to do. I can see the wave of ashal paribartan.”
Earlier at Joynagar, Modi went into combat mode, accusing Banerjee of discounting Hindu motifs and chants.
“Mamata Didi has issues with the Jai Shri Ram slogan. Entire Bengal knows it. Didi has issues with Durga idol immersion. Didi has now problems with vermilion and saffron cloth. Didi’s men now call chotiwallas rakshashas. I know ghuspetiyas (infiltrators) are close to her. But she has no right to call the sons of Bharat Mata tourists.I won’t allow her to abuse the culture of Ramakrishna and Chaitanya,” Modi said at Joynagar, where polarization is palpable.“Some days ago, I visited Bangladesh, where I offered prayers at Jeshoreshwari temple. Didi objected to it. In Orakandi, I sought blessing for the country during my visit to the sacred land of Harichand Thakur and Guruchand Thakur. She got very angry. Is visiting a temple wrong”, the PM wondered, adding, “I’m not a seasonal devotee; I always take pride in our faith and tradition.”
“Didi, if you want to appease anyone, you have every right to do so. You want to abuse me, keep abusing me. But I will not let you abuse people’s devotion and the identity of Ram Krishna Paramhans, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Swami Vivekananda,” he added.
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He attacked Banerjee for “insulting” people from Bihar and UP after she said at Nandigram “outsiders” from Bihar and UP were brought there. “Didi is in enmity with people of Bihar and UP... the Constitution doesn’t permit a CM to speak in that language. She is insulting people from other states,” he said.
Modi claimed how the Bengal CM had been changing goalposts as May 2 neared. He accused Trinamool of “bloodying Bengal” with killings of BJP workers. Referring to octogenarian Shova Majumdar’s death, the PM said, “Trinamool is like a spear that has bloodied Bengal... Atyachar, bhrashtachar, rakter khela cholbe na, cholbe na (torture, corruption and bloody games should end).”
“People are angry with Didi. They have to shell out money for building houses, admission to a government hospital or for their child’s admission or when youths make job applications. There is cut money everywhere. How will business flourish?” the PM said. He promised Rs 18,000 for every Bengal farmer, who were deprived of the benefits under PM Kisan Samman Nidhi. Modi also announced a similar financial support for machhuaras (fishermen).