Bengal can't progress if 'syndicate rule' persists, state has made up its mind for 'poriborton': PM Modi
Training guns at the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that West Bengal won't be able to progress if "tolabaji (extortion)" continues to persist. He said the people of the state have made up their mind for "poriborton (change)".
Addressing a public rally in Hooghly Monday afternoon, Modi also alleged that the monetary benefits of schemes in West Bengal never reached the poor.
"Centre transfers money directly into bank accounts of farmers & poor. But monetary benefits of schemes of Bengal Govt does not reach the poor without the consent of all the 'tolabaaz' of TMC. This is why TMC leaders are becoming richer & normal families are becoming poorer," he said.
"Development in Bengal not possible as long as cut money culture, syndicate rule and "tolabaji" (extortion) persists," the prime minister added.
Modi slammed Mamata for "failing" to keep Vande Mataram Bhawan in a good state. He said that it was an "injustice" to West Bengal's pride and that there was politics of vote bank and appeasement involved here.
"I am told that Vande Mataram Bhawan, where Bankim Chandra Ji lived for 5 years, is in very bad condition. This is the same Bhawan where he brainstormed to write Vande Mataram, the poem which gave a new lease of life to the freedom struggle. Failure to keep the place of the creator of such 'amar gaan' in a good state is an injustice to West Bengal's pride & there is huge politics involved in this -- the politics which focuses on vote bank, not patriotism; appeasement, not Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas," Modi said.
He said that a BJP government in the state should be formed not just for political 'poribartan' (political change), but 'asol poribartan' (real change). "Lotus will bring that 'asol poribartan' that youth aims for," he said.
"BJP will work for such a 'Sonar Bangla' which will strengthen Bengal's history and culture. A Bengal where faith, spirituality, and enterprise will be respected; where development will be for all and appeasement of none. A Bengal which will be 'tolabaji-mukt' & 'rojgar-yukt'," the prime minister reiterated.
Elections to the 294-member West Bengal assembly are likely to be held in April-May.
READ MORE: PM Modi launches 5 mega projects in Assam worth Rs 3,222 crore
READ MORE: 'Delhi is not too far from Dispur now, it stands at your doorstep': PM Modi in Assam
