Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday called West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee intolerant, a day after violence broke out at Bharatiya Janata Party President Amit Shah’s roadshow in Kolkata.
Addressing a rally in West Bengal’s Basirhat city, Modi said the Trinamool Congress’ goons had attacked BJP workers during the roadshow. He claimed Banerjee was threatened by the “BJP wave” in the state.
The prime minister accused Banerjee of being drunk with power and attempting to strangle democracy. “Two days ago, Didi [Banerjee] had claimed publicly that she would take revenge...Within 24 hours, she has fulfilled her agenda. She ordered attack on Amit Shah’s roadshow,” he claimed.
Modi was referring to Banerjee’s speech on Sunday in which she had threatened to take “inch by inch badla [revenge]” once the Lok Sabha elections end. She had accused Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh activists of donning the uniform of paramilitary jawans and attempting to influence polling.
“Didi’s goons carrying guns and bombs are bent upon destruction,” Modi alleged. “Her government is out to destroy everything in the state. People’s conviction and courage will evict the torturous rule.”
The prime minister also criticised Mamata Banerjee for getting a BJP youth leader arrested for sharing a meme on her. Priyanka Sharma got out of prison on Wednesday morning, a day after the Supreme Court ordered her release.
“You can draw my picture…make it as offensive as you want and after May 23, when I win, you can come over to gift it to me,” Modi said . “I will accept the drawing and treasure it… I will not file an FIR against you.”
‘Modi and Shah are promoting mobocracy,’ says Congress
The Congress, meanwhile, accused Modi and Shah of promoting “mobocracy” in the country, PTI reported. “Prime Minister Modi and Amit Shah-led BJP are squarely responsible for systematically damaging the cultural identity of each state in India,” Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi told reporters. “The Modi-Shah duo are responsible for promoting mobocracy in the country.”
The BJP wants to exert its “monolithic supremacy and bigoted agenda” in each state, he alleged. Shingv said the Congress condemns the violence that broke out in Kolkata on Tuesday, and the desecration of the statue of Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar.
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