PM Modi won’t hoist national flag at Red Fort in 2024: Trinamool

Kolkata: Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Saturday unleashed a scathing attack against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP on several issues. TMC leaders Shashi Panja and Kunal Ghosh slammed PM Modi for defaming Bengal.

“Those whose hands are stained with blood from Manipur & Gujarat should not attack us. On August 15, PM Modi will be hoisting the Tricolour at the Red Fort for the last time as PM. Next year, the INDIA alliance-backed PM will unfurl the Tricolour,” they said.

“PM Modi has once again tried to malign the image of West Bengal. This is only because he is scared of Bengal since BJP lost in the 2021 Assembly polls. This is also why since then, they have been using agencies, harassing, and depriving us of our rights∙ While the Bengal government receives first prize from the Centre in several fields like development and security, BJP keeps maligning Bengal,” they said adding: “PM’s party, in association with CPI(M), Congress, and ISF, thrashes AITC workers and kills our cadre to generate controversial news. Those whose hands are stained with the blood of people in Gujarat, Delhi, and Manipur are maligning Bengal. Bloodshed is underway in Manipur but the PM does not have time to go there. However, he has the time to malign Bengal.”

“He knows very well that his aspirations in 2024 will not be fulfilled due to the presence of Bengal and Mamata Banerjee. Bengal showed the way forward in defeating BJP and its impact was seen in states like Himachal Pradesh and Karnataka. INDIA alliance is in place to counter him. Hence, he has no option but to defame Bengal,” TMC leaders mentioned further.

MP Derek O’Brien also attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and raised the issue of alleged corruption in several Central government schemes. Both the leaders rubbished the claim of the PM where he said atrocities are inflicted on BJP workers.

Panja said that the PM is telling lies while O’Brien branded the PM as a ‘fraud.’ From the confines of the Parliamentary precincts, Derek O’Brien vehemently criticised the Prime Minister, enumerating seven compelling grounds.

He castigated the Prime Minister over the major sham behind PM Cares Funds’ transparency, demonetisation deception, impulsive Covid announcement & subsequent mismanagement, irregularities surrounding the Ayushman Bharat scheme, ignorant approach towards Manipur, manipulating Constitutional entities to silence voices, and disrupting Parliamentary norms.

“You should have named it ‘PM doesn’t care fund’; it is completely opaque. Can you tell us the full list of Chinese companies which contributed to this fund?” he questioned.

Panja on the other hand slammed the BJP for unleashing a reign of terror in Bengal. “BJP goons initiated the reign of terror in Bengal during the elections. Every single BJP-ruled state has been witnessing extreme extortion of the tribal community. Ayushman Bharat has emerged as a massive scam rather than a pro-people initiative. International visits and party programmes have been a priority for PM @narendramodi while a visit to Manipur is not on his agenda. BJP’s shoddy attempts to malign Bengal fall flat in the face of glaring reality!” Panja said.

Trinamool leaders also alleged that Rs 8,200 crore funds are pending under Awas Yojana and around 11.36 lakh beneficiaries have been deprived. “PM @narendramodi, when will you stop your step-motherly treatment for Bengal?”

Trinamool tweeted.

O’Brien accused the PM of destabilising the nation through demonetisation. He said: “You stated that there will be three or four objectives of demonetisation but look at the reality. Black money is still in circulation, terrorism is far from over, fake currency is going rounds and corruption continues to persist unabated.”

Defying the threats and institutional attempts to undermine Trinamool’s spirit, Derek O’Brien asserted, “Over 90% of uncontested seats in Tripura are under BJP’s sway. And what about UP, with 45%? While you might campaign and employ baseless cases through CBI and ED in West Bengal, remember this, Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress stands unwavering, refusing to bow down to you. We shall fight you politically,” O’Brien said.

Trinamool Congress in its Twitter handle said: “PM @narendramodi, if you really care about the poor families, how about releasing the Rs 7,500 Cr pending funds for Bengal under MGNREGA? Even the BJP-ruled states cannot escape your colossal failures. According to the recent NITI Aayog report, West Bengal has surpassed Gujarat in diminishing multidimensional poverty, outperforming the latter in indicators of health, education and standard of living. How will you justify the escalating poverty in BJP-ruled states?”