Prime Minister Narendra Modi criticized the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the previous Left Front government in West Bengal, accusing them of hindering the state’s development and diminishing its global standing. He particularly targeted the TMC, alleging that corruption was rampant under its rule and that it had played with the future of Bengal’s youth. Referring to the recent Calcutta High Court decision annulling over 25,000 teaching appointments, PM Modi accused the TMC of neglecting the state’s youth and creating joblessness.
He also criticized the TMC and the Congress, partners in the INDIA bloc but contesting the elections separately in West Bengal, for their alleged appeasement politics and attempts to woo specific communities. PM Modi accused the Congress of advocating for a wealth survey that would allegedly result in the confiscation of people’s assets, a claim the Congress has denied. He accused both parties of prioritizing appeasement over national interests.
“The only glue that holds the TMC and the Congress together is appeasement. These parties can go to any lengths to advance their appeasement politics and reverse any decision taken in the national interest,” PM Modi added.
Amid a verbal assault from PM Modi over its alleged wealth survey and redistribution pitch, the Congress has clarified that neither did it make any promise in its manifesto nor did Rahul Gandhi make any such assurance to voters.
Senior party colleague and Lok Sabha candidate, Shashi Tharoor, too, waded into the matter, saying there was no mention of wealth redistribution in the Congress manifesto, adding that it was a desperate attempt by the BJP to divert public attention from the burning bread-and-butter issues affecting the people.
“Nowhere does it (manifesto) talk about wealth redistribution. Nowhere does it say anything about taking anybody’s gold and snatching the mangalsutra of women. These are preposterous claims by the BJP and show their desperation. They know that they are losing these elections and will fling muck at us as much as they can,” Tharoor said.