'Shameful PM seeking votes in name of soldiers'

Islampur: Mocking Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his failure to build Ram Temple at Ayodhya in the last five years, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee criticised him for seeking votes in the name of soldiers and martyrs.

Armed forces belong to each and every Indian and Modi and BJP should not think the forces to be their fiefdom, she said at an election rally here in Uttar Dinajpur district.

"For the last five years he could not build the Ram temple (at Ayodhya). But whenever election approaches, he rakes up the issue. The people are not fools. You cannot befool them every time," she said and mentioned that she has respect for every religion in the country.

The Trinamool Congress supremo said Modi should be ashamed to seek votes in the name of soldiers and martyrs.

Banerjee said, "He is now seeking votes in the name of martyrs and soldiers as if the army belongs to him, as if it their fiefdom. Armed forces belong to everybody. It is our pride. He should first answer why so many jawans were killed in Pulwama despite intelligence inputs of such an attack."

Comparing Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah with Duryodhana and Dushshasana of the Mahabharata, she claimed that they are trying to take away the independence of the country.