PM’s pre-poll TMC jab: ‘Maha jungle raj’ in Bengal

PRime government minister Narendra Modi on sat launched a vituperative assail on the Trinamool u.s. Congress, asserting that the people of West Bengal will get rid of “maha jungle raj” in the same way that the voters in Bihar eradicated ‘jungle raj’ last month by voting for the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government.Addressing a rally in Nadia district virtually, Modi also criticised the state government over the mismanagement during a recent event featuring footballer Lionel Messi, the allegations of illegal commissions directed at TMC members, and illegal infiltration from Bangladesh.“After the NDA came to power in Bihar with a huge mandate last month, I had said that Ganga ji flows down Bihar and touches Bengal. Bihar has paved the way for the BJP’s victory in Bengal. Bihar has rejected jungle raj in one voice. Bihar has given more seats to BJP-NDA than what it gave 20 years ago,” he said, addressing the rally over phone.West Bengal is scheduled to go to the polls next summer, when chief minister Mamata Banerjee will aim for a fourth consecutive term.The PM was scheduled to address two rallies at Ranaghat in Nadia on Saturday. His helicopter, however, couldn’t land in Taherpur due to heavy fog and returned to Kolkata. He addressed the gathering over phone from Kolkata airport before flying to Assam.“Now we need to get rid of the maha jungle raj that’s continuing in West Bengal. That’s why every child, every village, every city and every lane and locality is saying ‘Banchte chai, BJP tai’ (Need BJP to survive),” he added.At least three Bharatiya Janata Party workers were killed and one was injured after being hit by a train while they were on their way to attend the PM’s rally. Modi condoled the deaths in his speech.“After Bengal got freedom from the red-flags, people hoped that something good would happen. But unfortunately, the TMC acquired all the evils from the Left, and has become worse. That’s why Tripura is developing fast and Bengal is fast getting destroyed because of the TMC. Bengal needs a double-engine government like the BJP which can work to bring back its lost glory,” he said.Modi’s visit comes at a time when the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) is continuing in West Bengal and the ruling TMC has been attacking the Centre and Election Commission of India over the controversial exercise. More than 5.82 million names of dead, duplicate, shifted and absent voters have been dropped from the draft roll.“The TMC is opposing SIR in West Bengal to shield the infiltrators. Slogans like ‘Go Back Modi’ are being raised. The TMC appeases those infiltrators who have set a target to occupy Bengal. This is the real face of the TMC,” Modi said.“TMC is putting all its strength towards protecting infiltrators who, in turn, loot the poor of West Bengal, spread terror, chaos and commit atrocities against our Nari Shakti (women power). It is Modi’s assurance to the people of West Bengal that once a BJP government is made in the state, stricter action will be taken against infiltrators,” he added.The PM attacked the TMC while requesting the people to give the BJP a chance to form the government in the state. “Modi wants to do many things for you. Modi wants to work for Bengal with full strength. There is no dearth of money, will and schemes. But the government here is only interested in cuts and commissions. Projects worth thousands of crores of rupees are stuck,” he said.“Today I want to tell the people of Bengal about my pain. If the TMC wants to oppose Modi, they may do it a thousand times. They may oppose the BJP with full strength. But I don’t understand why the development of Bengal is being stopped. You may oppose Modi, but don’t make the people sad, don’t deprive them of their rights, don’t commit the sin of shattering their dreams. I would request the people of Bengal to give a chance to the BJP and its double-engine-government and see how fast we develop Bengal,” he added.Nadia, where the Prime Minister’s twin rallies were scheduled to be held, is a stronghold of the Matua community, a Hindu sect who largely migrated from Bangladesh during 1947 and 1971.“I assure every Matua and Namasudra family that we will always serve them. They are not here at the mercy of TMC. They have the right to live in India with dignity thanks to the CAA, which our government brought. We will do even more for the Matua and Namasudra communities once a BJP government takes oath in West Bengal,” Modi said.The TMC hit back.“How exactly do you justify your economic blockade of Bengal? How do you justify withholding Bengal’s rightful funds to the tune of nearly ₹2 lakh crore? How do you justify denying wages to our rural poor, or blocking funds for people’s housing and even drinking water supply? How do you justify not resuming MGNREGA in Bengal despite clear directives from the Supreme Court?” the TMC wrote on X.