West Bengal’s ‘Maha Jungle Raj’ Will End: PM

Mr Modi renewed his target for the second time during his two-day visit to the state while addressing Parivartan Sankalpa Sabha of BJP at Singur in Hooghly after launching several central projects worth over Rs 830 crores on railways and ports following his return from Assam.

Though Singur has become an infamous landmark in the industrial map of the state and country since the Tatas pulled out it's Nano small car project from there in October of 2008 following a fierce anti-land acquisition movement by TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee who was in the opposition leader then, Mr Modi's political speech lacked any major industry-oriented announcement to meet his party's expectations to woo the voters ahead of the polls.

Projecting the goal for victory, the PM said, “We want Asli Parivartan. All want to change Mahajangalraj of 15 years. Recently, BJP-NDA once again stopped Jangalraj in Bihar. Now Bengal is also ready to bid adieu to Mahajangalraj of TMC.” He has coined the term, Mahajangalraj, to attack the TMC-rule since the start of his poll campaign on December 20.

Mr Modi then sharpened his attack on the ruling party over infiltration, alleging, “The TMC government has been playing with the national security of not only Bengal but also the country. The youth have to stay very alert for this. TMC provides all types of benefits to the infiltrators here. They stage Dharna to save them. They like them so much because they are their solid votebank. They can go to any extent to save them.”

He also claimed, “For the last 11 years the central government has repeatedly been writing letters to the TMC government, seeking land to erect fencing at the borders in Bengal. But it does not matter to TMC,” before adding, “TMC also offers reservation to those who protect infiltrators. They prepare forged documents for them.”

In a veiled reference to the ongoing SIR, the PM told the crowd, “Time has come to put a full stop on infiltration. Those, who have managed to settle down here by making forged documents in the last one decade, need to be identified and sent back to their country. Your votes can drive out the infiltrators from here.”

Mr Modi also warned the TMC of meeting the fate of AAP, which was in power in New Delhi, for continuously blocking the central government's public welfare schemes. He pointed out, “Voters know that if a state government, whatever it may be, obstructs their growth and development works, it gets punished. Such a government was in Delhi also. It did not allow central schemes’ implementation. We used to plead with them but they ignored us and remained busy in political equations.”

Hinting at AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal, the PM explained, “That's why people of Delhi showed them the door. The CM was also sent back home. Now people are getting free treatment under Aayushman scheme there. People of Bengal have also made up their mind to teach a lesson to TMC so that BJP can form its government here.” He further complained against chief minister Mamata Banerjee of neither reading the central government’s letters nor allowing her government's officials to read them.

“The central government has made a digital platform to help the fishermen community of our country. All state governments are registering their fishermen’s names there. But in Bengal a brake has been put on this work. We keep writing letters to the Bengal government. The CM doesn't read letters but she should let the officers read them. The state is not at all helping in the fishermen’s registration. As a result, the fishermen here are not getting the benefits of PM Matsya Sampada Yojana,” Mr Modi said.