Trinamool asks ‘why is PM not pained by violence against women in BJP-ruled states’

With Prime Minister Narendra Modi visiting Bengal on Friday, the ruling party of the state, Trinamool Congress has demanded answers from him regarding the fund blockade while asking him why he is not bothered about alleged atrocities against women committed in BJP-ruled states.

Referring to alleged corruption in Bengal by TMC, Prime Minister Modi, during the public meeting in Hooghly’s Arambagh, assured the people: “It is my guarantee that those who have looted public funds will face consequences.”

Rebutting him, TMC sought to know where are the funds for 59 lakh MGNREGA workers and the houses of 11.36 lakh PM Awas beneficiaries in Bengal. The party wrote on X: Modi ji’s Mann Ki Baat and @BJP4India’s PARDAPHASH! PM@narendramodi himself admitted that the poor and middle-class are being made to pay for choosing us over @BJP4India. This is a direct acknowledgement of the fact that Bengal’s funds for essential schemes like MGNREGA and Awas Yojana have been DELIBERATELY HALTED by the Centre out of sheer VINDICTIVENESS.”

State Cabinet minister Shashi Panja said: “PM Modi was in Arambagh today. He spoke about corruption in the Trinamool Congress. He cannot see corruption anywhere beyond TMC, be it in Bengal or other states. He was sharing the dais with BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari who is named in a CBI FIR related to a serious complaint of corruption. Is the PM seriously concerned about fund deprivation of Bengal? He did not speak about it in his speech.”

The party also alleged that while bringing the PM to Bengal was supposed to be a master stroke by the BJP, it proved otherwise as despite Modi’s presence, the meeting ground remained “half empty”. “Arambagh clearly demonstrated that the divisive BJP has no place in the hearts of the people of Bengal,” it wrote on social media. The party also likened the visit of PM Modi to that of a “migratory bird”, asking on X handle “PM@narendramodi, where were you all this time?”

Meanwhile, on the Sandeshkhali incident, PM Modi said: “The whole country is sad and is seething with anger after seeing what the TMC, which beats the drum of Maa, Mati, and Manush, has done to the sisters of Sandeshkhali. The TMC leader crossed all limits of audacity with the sisters and daughters in Sandeshkhali. What TMC has done to the sisters of Sandeshkhali is a matter of shame,”.

Referring to the neighbouring area of Khanakul, the birthplace of 19th-century social reformer Raja Rammohan Roy, the Prime Minister said: “Even the soul of Raja Ram Mohan Roy would be petrified after what has happened to the sisters and mothers of Sandeshkhali. His soul must be crying today. The TMC has to answer for the atrocities.”

TMC, too, hit back at the PM. State Cabinet minister Chandrima Bhattacharya said: “The PM was addressing a public meeting in the district which was the birthplace of Raja Ram Mohan Roy who was a social reformer. PM Modi was shedding tears while talking about Sandeshkhali. Where were these tears in incidents of atrocities against women in Manipur, or in Uttar Pradesh’s Hathras or Unnao? In Bengal, the complaints that were raised in Sandeshkhali are being addressed by the chief minister Mamata Banerjee.”

Shashi Panja said: “He (PM Modi) spoke about women empowerment and how Sandeshkhali incidents have deeply pained him but why isn’t he affected by the atrocities against women in Manipur where the PM never visited yet?”

TMC MP Sagarika Ghose wrote on X: “Dear Mr@PMOIndia you talk about #Sandeshkhali. The Bengal state government is arresting and acting against all those responsible for any incident. What about you sir? Name one step you have taken to protect the dignity of women Olympic winners who were dragged humiliatingly on the street. #AyeHotoBatakeJao@AITCofficial.”