STATE TIMES NEWS
Jalpaiguri (WB): Coming down heavily on Mallikarjun Kharge, without mentioning him by name, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said the Congress President thinks Article 370 has nothing to do with other states.
“Is Jammu and Kashmir not an integral part of the country? This reflects their divisive mindset. It was Syama Prasad Mookerjee, a Bengali, who fought against Article 370 and gave his life for the cause,” said Modi while addressing a mega rally in Jalpaiguri.
Mallikarjun Kharge recently objected to raising the issue of the abrogation of Article 370 by BJP leaders during poll campaigns in other states.
‘Cong hostile towards Sanatan Dharma’
Nawada (Bihar): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday launched a blistering attack on the opposition Congress, charging that its poll manifesto bore the imprint of Muslim League and utterances of its leaders betrayed hostility towards national integrity and Sanatan Dharma.
Addressing a rally in Nawada district, his second in Bihar in 72 hours, Modi also recounted the ‘jungle raj’ that prevailed when the state was ruled by the Congress-RJD combine, showering praises on his ally Nitish Kumar and ailing BJP colleague Sushil Kumar Modi for turning things around as Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister respectively.
“The manifesto that the Congress has released bears the imprint of the Muslim League. It has not released a poll manifesto but a declaration of appeasement (tushtikaran patra),” alleged Modi. In an apparent reference to controversial remarks of Karnataka MP D K Suresh, the PM said, “You can understand the Congress’ mindset from the statement of one of its very senior leaders who openly called for making south India a separate nation.”
Modi, who was in the Bihar district to campaign for BJP candidate Vivek Thakur, said, “I wonder what hostility the Congress has towards popular sentiments. Its leaders did not turn up at pran pratishtha even though the temple at Ayodhya was constructed with donations made by the common people, not with government funds.”
“When some of the Congress leaders came out in favour of the Ram temple at Ayodhya, they were slapped with expulsions,” said the PM, in a veiled reference to Acharya Pramod Krishnam, who was sacked by the party after he criticised it for skipping the event.
The PM also said that while his government boldly acted against “anti-women” practices like ‘triple talaq’, the Congress and its allies were busy denigrating Sanatan Dharma.
“The festival of Ram Navami is approaching. Do not forget the sins of these people,” said Modi, who also claimed there was “sir futavval (infighting)” within the INDIA bloc in which “one senior leader has refused to take part in campaign unless he is projected as the Prime Ministerial candidate”.
Modi also lauded Nitish Kumar, the JD(U) president, and Sushil Kumar Modi, who is battling with cancer and has excused himself from poll-related activities, for their efforts in pulling Bihar out of the ‘jungle raj’, a term often used to denote the lawlessness that prevailed when Bihar was ruled by the RJD-Congress combine.
“In those days, our mothers and sisters were fearful of venturing out of homes,” alleged Modi, taking forward the declamation of Kumar who spoke before him, that “people did not go out of their homes after dusk” in Bihar until the change of guard in 2005.
Kumar, who returned to the NDA in January, and has sought to maintain a “secular” image, also claimed “clashes between Hindus and Muslims were more common before we took over. In the new atmosphere of peace, Muslims too supported us in a big way. We got more than 50 per cent of their votes in 2010 assembly polls”.
The PM was also visibly pleased when the Bihar CM predicted a 400-plus tally for the NDA.
The PM said, “All surveys show that we are heading for a massive victory. Some may wonder why I am still working so hard. I am not one who would rest on his laurels. I was born into a poor family and will not rest until I wipe out poverty from the country. The first 10 years of my government have been a trailer. Our growth engine is on the runway. It must now take off.”
In an apparent reference to the Congress’ complaint to EC that the use of the “Modi ki guarantee” phrase was a violation of the Model Code of Conduct, the PM said he was able to deliver on promises because he had “pure intent and firm resolve”.
“The glory of India is being sung (bharat ka danka baj raha hai) far and wide, be it New Zealand or Africa. This has not been achieved by Modi, but by the power of your vote which installed a strong government,” said the PM.
At a rally in Bihar, he further pointed out that security personnel from all over the country, including Rajasthan and Bihar, have laid down their lives fighting terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir, and “their bodies have reached their native places wrapped in tricolour”.
“The INDIA bloc talks a lot about the Constitution. Their leaders should tell the people why they could not implement the Samvidhan of Baba Saheb Ambedkar fully in Jammu and Kashmir. Why did it take a Modi to do so?” asked the PM.
The Prime Minister Narendra Modi alleged that the TMC desires a free license for corruption and violence in West Bengal, which is why central agencies investigating such cases face attacks in the state.
Modi also claimed that “TMC’s syndicate Raj” prevails in West Bengal, and the party is only interested in protecting its corrupt leaders. “The TMC government seeks to have a free pass for looting and terror in Bengal. To shield its extortionist and corrupt leaders, the TMC orchestrates attacks on central investigative agencies when they come here,” he said.
Modi’s comments come a day after an NIA team was allegedly attacked by a mob on Saturday when attempting to arrest two main suspects in a 2022 blast case in West Bengal’s Purba Medinipur district.
“The TMC is a party that disrespects India’s constitution and Rule of Law,” he said.
The attack on NIA on Saturday evoked memories of January 5 when a team of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) was attacked by a mob in North 24 Parganas district’s Sandeshkhali during a search at the house of TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh, who was later suspended, in connection with alleged irregularities in the public distribution system.
Modi mentioned that the situation in the state is such that “the court has to intervene” in various matters.
The prime minister accused the TMC government of impeding the implementation of the Centre’s welfare schemes for the poor in the state.
“The TMC is not allowing the central funds to reach the poor people of the state. They want the central funds in their own account first. The syndicate Raj of TMC is going on across West Bengal. The TMC government is putting brakes on central schemes for the welfare of the poor,” he said.
Claiming that the Enforcement Directorate has attached properties worth Rs 3,000 crore from corrupt leaders of the TMC in various corruption cases in Bengal, Modi said suggestions are being taken on ways to return the money to those who have given it.
“I guarantee you that the money looted by corrupt leaders will be given back to the poor people who had to give money to get jobs,” he said.
Modi alleged that the opposition alliance is busy indulging in politics of lies and deceit.
“I am saying remove corruption; the opposition is saying ‘save the corrupt.’ I will ensure the corrupt are punished, and the poor get justice. After June 4 (when Lok Sabha poll results will be announced), more stringent action will be taken against the corrupt,” he said.
The prime minister said, “The TMC, Left, and the Congress have formed INDI Alliance to protect the corrupt.”
Referring to recent incidents in Sandeshkhali, where allegations of sexual abuse against TMC leaders emerged, Modi assured people that the culprits of Sandeshkhali will spend the rest of their lives in jail.
“The entire country has witnessed what happened in Sandeshkhali. Don’t you think Sandeshkhali culprits should get strong punishment?” he remarked.
During a rally at Cooch Behar on April 4, Modi had said that the culprits of Sandeshkhali will have to spend the rest of their lives in jail.
Urging people to elect a strong and stable government, Modi said, “The stronger the central government, the stronger the trust of the world in Bharat.”
“I work 24×7 for 2047. The past 10 years of the NDA government were dedicated to easing the lives of marginalized communities. You supported me, and I decided to transform the landscape of India. What you have seen in the last 10 years is just a trailer,” he said.
Reaching out to the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe population of the Jalpaiguri constituency, he said the BJP has facilitated the empowerment of all during the last decade, including the SC/ST community and women.
“TMC is against the interests of the poor and the SC/ST community,” he said.
To woo lakhs of tea garden workers in the region, Modi blamed the TMC for being “responsible for the woes of the tea industry in West Bengal.”
“TMC is against the interests of the tea garden workers of West Bengal and has consistently exploited them. The TMC leaders have bungalows, but the tea garden workers are deprived of benefits,” he said.
The TMC dubbed Modi’s allegations as baseless.
“The prime minister was speaking of corruption, but the BJP shelters corrupt people. And regarding attacks on central agencies, these agencies are working as frontal organisations of the BJP and are targeting TMC leaders,” TMC leader Santanu Sen said. At the beginning of his speech, Modi expressed condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in a storm in Jalpaiguri last week.
