Modi’s ‘real change’ call in Bengal draws TMC fire over ‘lies & double standards’
Kolkata: With an eye on 2026 Assembly polls in Bengal, Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi from his Durgapur rally raised a poll pitch on Friday where he said the real development in the state would come when the Trinamool Congress (TMC) is gone, eventually inviting sharp criticism by the ruling party in the state.
Modi in Durgapur said: “The day this wall of the TMC government falls, from that day Bengal will catch a new pace of development. Only when the TMC government goes, will real change come. I want to assure the
youth that Bengal’s current problems can be fixed. Once a new government is formed, the state can grow into a leading industrial hub in the country.”
Reacting to the statement, Trinamool Congress spokesperson refuting Modi’s
statement said: “PM Modi was talking about a change. Real change has happened to him as he shunned the
slogan of Jay Sree Ram; instead he was now saying Joy Maa Kali. The BJP tried to make Lord Ram political brand ambassador
but they have become politically insolvent. Ram stands for culture and we respect Lord Ram.”
“BJP used to say that Durga pujas are now allowed in Bengal. Now the PM is taking the name of Maa Durga/Maa Kali. Under the leadership of our Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee the Durja puja has reached a new height. Carnival is now performed here. In Bengal, TMC was in power and will continue to remain in power,” Ghosh added.
Ghosh also stated: “It does not look good that a Prime Minister tells people so many lies. He is now promising new projects worth a few crores. What’s the point in announcing new projects when the Centre has stopped thousands of crores of dues to Bengal for years.” He also attacked Modi saying that Bengali speaking migrant workers are being harassed in BJP ruled states and why the Prime Minister did not utter a word on this.
Prime Minister Modi accused TMC of risking Bengal’s identity and national security by promoting infiltration for vote-bank politics, and asserted that only the BJP genuinely stands for Bengali ‘asmita’ (identity) and the pride of Bengalis.
“Because of its vested interests, TMC has put the identity of West Bengal at stake. For the sake of vote-bank politics, infiltration is being encouraged here. A complete ecosystem has been created to support infiltrators. PM Modi also accused the ruling party of “openly challenging constitutional institutions” and “defending illegal immigrants,” Modi said.
On this, Kunal Ghosh rebutted by saying: “Has the BJP given a portfolio of a full term minister to any of its MPs from Bengal. Are there no BJP MPs from Bengal who are fit for the job. None from Bengal has become a Cabinet minister under the Modi government. The party (BJP) that shows little respect to the people of Bengal should not talk about Bengali ‘Asmita’.” Ghosh also said that the TMC would not listen to lectures on constitutional values from anyone whose hands are smeared with blood due to communal riots in Gujarat.
“The PM is talking about the infiltrators. BSF guards the international borders. Will the PM show cause to Home Minister Amit Shah and hold him responsible for this. Why did you not talk about infiltration in Bihar? The Election Commission was saying many from Nepal have infiltrated into Bihar. If people infiltrate into Bengal why does not the Home Ministry check it,” Ghosh added. In reply to the PM’s statement on teachers’ recruitment scam and alleged corruption in Bengal, Ghosh said: “Those against whom you used to level corruption charges have now aligned with you. They have defamed TMC and now joined your party.”
In a stinging critique of Bengal’s economic environment under the TMC, PM Modi said the state has become inhospitable for industry and investors. “TMC’s ‘Gunda Tax’ is deterring investment in Bengal. The state’s resources have fallen into the hands of the mafia,” said Modi.
TMC leader Chandrima Bhattacharya said: “Central government has announced that Bengal is among the top states which attract maximum investments. Even the industrialists in the open programme said that Bengal has become a favourite place for them.
In reply to the PM statement on the RG Kar incident and the recent south Kolkata law college incident, Trinamool Congress leaders said: “In both the cases the Kolkata police arrested the culprits within 24 hours. In the RG Kar case, the CBI failed to unearth anything new from the Kolkata police. Why the PM maintains silence on the Odisha incident where a student set herself ablaze and died after she was sexually harassed by a teacher. Why is he silent when women are tortured in BJP-ruled states.”
