Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday kick-started the campaign for 2019 Lok Sabha election in Bengal by launching a blistering attack Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. PM Modi accused the ruling Trinamool Congress government headed by Mamata of killing the aspirations of the middle-class.
Addressing a rally in the industrial town of Durgapur, PM Modi said the ruling party in West Bengal is known for 'triple T - Trinamool Tolabaji Tax'. In local parlance, 'tolabaji' is roughly understood as an act of organised extortion.
He said that Mamata is getting jittery by people's love for the BJP in Bengal. "Didi is having sleepless nights because of the love the people here are showing towards the BJP," PM Modi said.
The prime minister came down hard on the TMC for the violence against BJP workers in the state and said that Mamata was treading the path of the previous communist government to trample democracy. She should know it did not work then and it will not work now, he said.
"The TMC is killing the people's aspirations but the Centre will fulfil their (people's) dreams," the prime minister said. Praising the bravery of BJP workers amid violent confrontation with the TMC cadre, Modi said their sacrifice will not go waste as days of the TMC government are numbered.
The interim Budget presented in Parliament Friday is a reflection of the BJP government's policy of 'Saabka Saath Saabka Vikas', he said.
Modi also spoke about the income tax rebate, TDS for bank term deposits, earnings from second property among other budgetary provisions which, he said, will benefit the middle class.
The prime minister claimed the Centre has approved infrastructure projects worth Rs 90,000 crore in the past four-and-a-half years for the state but the TMC government did not take interest in implementing them as it wanted a share for the 'syndicate'.
"The TMC doesn't take interest in initiating development projects where there is no share for the syndicate... where there is no 'malai' (cream)," he alleged.
"Right from admission in schools and colleges, jobs in educational institutes and elsewhere one has to pay 'triple T' to get their work done. But this cannot continue always," Modi said.
"We are with the people of the state totally to free them of Jagai Madhai, syndicate raj of the TMC," he added.
Jagai and Madhai, were two brothers who were initially against Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the 16th century seer, but later became among his ardent followers.
WATCH: PM Modi slams Mamata in Bengal
(With inputs from PTI)
