Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday expressed “shock” and “disappointment” after Prime Minister Narendra Modi slammed the TMC government, calling it “Nirmam” (cruel) and accusing it of “plaguing” the state with violence, corruption, and lawlessness.
“I am disappointed that Modi criticised Bengal at a time when all-party delegations are visiting different countries (to support the Centre’s anti-terror stand, especially after the Pahalgam attack),” Banerjee said.
TMC general secretary Abhishek Banerjee is part of one such delegation.
Slamming PM Modi and the BJP for politicising India’s retaliatory military operation against Pakistan, code-named Operation Sindoor, Mamata asked why the perpetrators of the Pahalgam terror attack have not been nabbed yet.
“I don’t want to comment on Operation Sindoor. But every woman should be given respect… If your heart is so clean, why have the terrorists (behind the attack in Pahalgam) not been caught so far?” she asked.
Responding to PM Modi’s allegations on the Murshidabad violence, the CM claimed that it was fuelled by the BJP and the Centre.
“The Malda and Murshidabad riots occurred because of the BJP,” the TMC chief said.
Mamata Banerjee also responded to PM Modi’s remarks on the people of West Bengal “crying out” against the incumbent government. She dared the prime minister and the BJP to conduct elections in Bengal tomorrow and asserted that her party is “ready.”
“I challenge them! If they have the courage, go for the elections tomorrow. We are ready and Bengal is ready… The people of Bengal are with us. Please remember, timing is a factor,” she said.
Mamata’s statements came shortly after PM Modi claimed incidents of communal violence in Murshidabad and Malda are grim reminders of the TMC regime’s “cruelty and indifference” to the sufferings of ordinary citizens.
Addressing a rally in Alipurduar, Modi said, “Today, West Bengal is grappling with a series of crises. People don’t want ‘Nirmam Sarkar’. They want change and good governance. That is why the whole of Bengal is saying they don’t want cruelty and corruption anymore,” Modi said.
“First is the widespread violence and lawlessness that are tearing apart the fabric of society. Second is the growing sense of insecurity among mothers and sisters, compounded by horrific crimes committed against them,” the PM said.
Modi said the third crisis in Bengal is the deepening despair among the youth, driven by rising unemployment and lack of opportunities, while the fourth is the “pervasive corruption” that is eroding public trust in the system.
“The fifth crisis stems from the self-serving politics of the ruling party, which is stripping the poor of their rightful entitlements. Incidents in Murshidabad and Malda are stark examples of the cruelty of the TMC government and its failure to maintain law and order,” he said.
Turning his guns on the West Bengal teacher recruitment scam, Modi accused the TMC of “ruining the future of thousands of teachers and their families” through rampant corruption and irregularities.
“This is not just the destruction of a few thousand teachers, but the entire education system is deteriorating. Even now, the TMC refuses to admit its mistakes. Instead, they are blaming the courts and the judicial system,” he said.
He added that the youth, poor, and middle-class families of Bengal are bearing the brunt of this corruption and said the people of the state have now lost faith in the TMC government.
The PM also expressed disappointment over the West Bengal government’s absence from the recent Niti Aayog meeting, accusing the TMC of being more interested in politics than development.
