The Trinamool Congress on Friday hit back sharply at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over remarks he made ahead of his visit to West Bengal, accusing the Centre of withholding the state’s dues, insulting its cultural identity and targeting its people, even as it said Bengal would still “welcome” him as a guest.
The ruling party’s reaction followed Modi’s post on X, in which he alleged that people in West Bengal were “suffering due to the TMC’s misgovernance in every sector” and claimed that the BJP had emerged as the “people’s hope”.
“In the afternoon tomorrow, 20th December, I will address a BJP rally in Ranaghat. The people of West Bengal are benefiting from numerous pro-people initiatives of the Central Government. At the same time, they are suffering due to the TMC’s misgovernance in every sector. The loot and intimidation of TMC have crossed all limits. That is why, BJP is the people’s hope,” the Prime Minister said in the post.
Responding to the charges, the TMC said the state was indeed suffering, but held the Prime Minister and his government responsible for the situation.
“You’re right, Mr Mann-Ki-Baat Prime Minister. Bengal is suffering. But Bengal is suffering because of you,” the party said in a post on X.
It accused the Centre of withholding nearly Rs 2 lakh crore in what it described as West Bengal’s “rightful dues”, despite collecting over Rs 6.5 lakh crore in GST and direct taxes from the state between 2017-18 and 2023-24.
The party further alleged that the Centre had repeatedly insulted Bengal’s “cultural, spiritual, and civilisational icons”, and claimed that people from the state were being branded as “Bangladeshis”, detained and even “illegally deported” for speaking their mother tongue.
The TMC also accused the BJP of misusing central agencies, money power and sections of the media to malign the state’s image. At the same time, it stressed that Bengal remained hospitable to visitors.
“Yet, Bengal welcomes guests. Last year, we received the second-highest number of foreign tourists in the country, and we will welcome you too,” the party said, adding, “But make no mistake. The people of Bengal will reject you in 2026, just as they have in every election before that.”
Prime Minister Modi is scheduled to visit West Bengal on Saturday to address a rally at Taherpur in Nadia district and to unveil highway projects.
The visit comes amid heightened political tension over the ongoing Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in the state.
Taherpur falls in a Matua-dominated region, and the visit coincides with sustained opposition by the Mamata Banerjee-led government to the SIR exercise.
The TMC has alleged that large numbers of genuine voters, particularly refugee Hindus, risk disenfranchisement during the revision process.
