Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Himanta Biswa Sarma, the chief minister of the neighbouring state of Assam, on Friday.
While she trained guns on Modi to counter his narrative that the Trinamool Congress government deprived north Bengal, she accused Himanta, who has been campaigning in Bengal since Thursday, of planning to bring in outsiders to cast votes in Bengal to influence the poll results.
“The Prime Minister has said that no development has been carried out in north Bengal. While sitting in the PM’s chair, he should not lie. The north Bengal development department is just a department for the region, and its budgetary allocation does not indicate the development carried out in north Bengal,” said Mamata, while addressing a public meeting on the Raasmela Ground in
Cooch Behar.
Modi, during his visit, had mentioned that while thousands of crores are being allocated for madrasah education and minority development, a much lesser fund is allocated for north Bengal.
“During our tenure, we have spent ₹1.72 lakh crore for north Bengal. The PM should cross-check the facts and figures before making remarks,” said the chief minister.
Mamata also took a dig at Himanta, who has been accusing the Trinamool government of encouraging infiltration from Bangladesh during his campaign.
“The chief minister of Assam will bring people from his state by train, with the help of central forces, so that they can cast their votes here. But here, common people will foil such devious plans. He is campaigning here and making false remarks. He had better take care of his own state,” Mamata said.
She also referred to the notices issued to some residents of Alipurduar and Cooch Behar districts by the foreigners’ tribunals of Assam to prove their citizenship.
“You had sent NRC notices to people here…. You should be ashamed for seeking votes for the BJP from them,” the Trinamool chairperson added.
In her speech, Mamata also played the development card and mentioned a slew of development projects and other initiatives taken up in Cooch Behar and in north Bengal as a whole.
“A sum of ₹300 crores has been allotted for Cooch Behar as we have declared it a heritage town like Nabadwip,” she said.
Additional reporting by Main Uddin Chisti in Cooch Behar