On a day when Prime Minister Narendra Modi filed nominations from Varanasi Lok Sabha constituency, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday launched a scathing attack on him, calling him a “kalank” (a blot).
In a series of rallies held at Bangaon, Kalyani, and Sreerampore, the TMC chief accused the BJP of “insulting and defaming” the women of West Bengal by “deceiving” them into filing “false cases of sexual harassment” in Sandeshkhali.
“They don’t know that disrespecting our mothers and sisters is unacceptable. Our women were tricked and deceived into writing just anything without their consent. Women are now coming out and saying that they hadn’t filed these [false rape] complaints. Who should be punished for this? Is punishing the local mandal president enough? What about those who helped, planted bombs and arms, or Guarantee Babu (Modi) talking about the message of Sandeshkhali? I want to tell them that truth wins and a lie doesn’t live forever,” Mamata said at a rally in Bangaon.
Accusing the BJP of “making last-ditch efforts to win elections by manipulating EVMs”, the TMC chief reiterated that the BJP will not be able to seat 200 seats in this Lok Sabha election. “In Mahua’s [Moitra] constituency (Krishnanagar), they (BJP) tried everything to defeat her. At first, when EVMs were opened, it was found that even when the TMC’s button was pressed, votes went to the BJP. The machines were replaced immediately. There is no limit to their (BJP’s) conspiracies. They know they are going to lose, that is why they are trying these last-ditch efforts by manipulating EVMs,” the chief minister said.
“In 2004, Atal Bihari Vajpayee gave the slogan of “India Shining”, but Manmohan Singh became the Prime Minister. I have some breaking news this time. The winds are changing and the 420 Guarantee will be changed… Based on the estimates till now,the BJP will get a maximum of 195 to 200 seats and the INDIA bloc will win 295 to 315 seats. They have lied so much. Now, they are saying that Bengalis want Modi. That is also a lie. He is a kalank,” she said.
“People across the country eat what they want and we have no issues with that. Over 80 per cent of the people are non-vegetarians. Now, he [PM] is saying don’t eat fish, meat, or eggs. Why are they policing what we eat?” she added.
Accusing the PM of shedding crocodile tears over the teachers losing their jobs following the Calcutta High Court’s order in the alleged irregularities in school recruitment, Mamata said, “I asked our legal representatives if the BJP lawyers said something during the court hearing in favour of those who lost their jobs. The lawyers told me that they hadn’t. Instead, BJP lawyers argued that the cancellation of jobs was the right decision,” Mamata said, adding she would file a defamation case against those levelling corruption charges against her government.
She also urged people to not vote for the CPI(M) and Congress, Mamata said: “No Modi, no BJP, no CPI(M), and no Congress here in Bengal… I urge people not to split the votes here. If this happens, the BJP will get more seats. The fewer seats the BJP gets, the better it is for the people,” she added.