Kolkata: Just ahead of the West Bengal Assembly elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a rally in Cooch Behar on Sunday, launching a sharp attack on the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC). Citing the recent Malda Mothabari incident, he described the situation in the state as “Maha Jungleraj” under TMC rule.
The remarks drew swift retaliation from the TMC, which accused the BJP of engineering unrest. “Our CID has already established who was behind the incident. You have deployed your B and C teams to incite disturbance. This will not benefit you,” the party said.
In a video message, TMC leader Kirti Azad alleged administrative bias, stating, “The Election Commission has restructured the administration in your favour. The newly appointed Police Observer for Malda, Jayant Kant, is the husband of an active BJP leader. You have used your entire machinery to create unrest, and now you are delivering lectures.”
At a press conference, senior leaders Shashi Panja and Bratya Basu responded to several allegations raised by the Prime Minister. Modi had questioned the TMC’s use of the word “Istehar” for its 2026 manifesto, claiming it was not Bengali and reflected a shift in the state’s cultural identity. Refuting this, Basu said, “This only highlights the Prime Minister’s lack of understanding of the Bengali language. ‘Istehar’ is an Arabic-origin word that has long been part of Bengali usage. He himself uses words like ‘Adalat’, also of Arabic origin. By that logic, was the ‘chaiwala’ trying to appease the Chinese, since ‘cha’ is a Chinese word? It is better not to comment on matters one does not understand.”
On the issue of women’s safety, raised by Modi with references to incidents such as Sandeshkhali and RG Kar, TMC MP Sagarika Ghose said, “We do not need lectures from a party known for shielding and even garlanding rapists.” Panja echoed similar sentiments, naming BJP leaders Kuldeep Singh Sengar and Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, and questioned, “Should we learn women’s empowerment from a party that protects such individuals?”
Reacting to Modi’s remark, “Chun chun kar hisab liya jayega” (“We’ll hunt them down and make each one pay”), TMC leader Chandrima Bhattacharya criticised the tone, saying, “Is this the language of a Prime Minister? You should revisit your report card. In 2021, despite targeting 200 seats, you were reduced to 77. In 2024, your tally dropped from 18 to 12. The people of Bengal have had enough of your stepmotherly treatment and will respond democratically. This time, you may witness your party’s worst performance in the state.”