Kolkata’s Brigade Parade Ground turned into a saffron sea of people as Prime Minister Narendra Modi touched a chord with his supporters at the finale of BJP’s two-week-long Bengal Parivartan Yatra.
However, PM Modi carefully steered clear of directly lashing out at West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, lest TMC used it against the BJP as insulting a lady CM.
‘Anirmam Sarkar’, or a government without Mamata or love, was the message.
“Trinamool Congress (TMC) has called everyone coming for this rally a thief, but the people of Bengal know who the real thief is. The government is anirmam, knowing they are losing ground,” said PM Modi.
Women empowerment
Mentions of cut money, scams, lack of development and jobs for the youth have been made, while the BJP is also increasingly focusing on the women empowerment message along with women's safety.
Newspaper advertisements focussed on ‘Bikoshito Bangla, Bikoshito Bharat’, which is PM Modi’s vision to empower women. TMC has a strong women voter base with a woman CM at the helm, which the ruling party cashes in on. The BJP wants to break that image in the minds of women voters and make them look at the saffron party and PM Modi as their mascot for women's safety.
Modi reminded the crowd of the 2024 land grabbing and exploitation of women case of Sandeshkhali, along with the government-run RG Kar rape of an on-duty trainer doctor, assuring his supporters that the guilty would not go scott free. “Here the anirmam government shields rapists and saves the accused,” he said.
“I assure women of this land, give BJP a chance, women will be safe and the accused will be in jail. It is Modi’s guarantee.”
The PM’s emphasis on the disrespect of women moved towards President Draupadi Murmu’s recent visit to Siliguri in North Bengal for a programme by the tribal community, where the venue was shifted and no one from the state government was present to receive her as per protocol.
“Our President, daughter of the Adivasi community Draupadi Murmu, had come to Bengal. She was to participate in a programme for Santhals. But in her arrogance, didi did not just disrespect the chair, but created an atmosphere of insult. Because one Adivasi daughter is at such a top post, TMC could not accept that. Draupadi Murmu who is known for her silence, had to raise the issue herself,” said the PM.
“TMC has to remember this: they not only insulted Draupadi Murmu, but also crores of Adivasis. They have insulted crores of women. They have insulted the respect of Bengal. They have insulted the strength of India, they have insulted the fabric of India, they have insulted Babasaheb Ambedkar. They (TMC) will get a response from the people of Bengal; the anirman government will get the response,” said the PM while using strong words to hit out at Mamata on her soil.
TMC-BJP clashes, attack on minister Sashi Panja’s house
BJP supporters have alleged that stones were pelted on their buses at Girish Park in central Kolkata, attempting to stop them from going to the rally. The incident left BJP supporters with minor injuries.
The TMC sharpened its attack on BJP, alleging that the saffron party supporters had vandalised Women and Child Development Minister Dr Sashi Panja’s house, which is in the same area.
“Buses carrying outsiders, miscreants and BJP supporters hurled bricks, glass bottles and bombs at my house which on the main road at Girish Park,” said Dr Sashi Panja.
“Do not lie to the people. This incident was pre-planned. And I will file an FIR against it. You were planning to kill. Every bus had such weapons, and they attacked us while they were going to the rally," Dr Panja added.
The BJP rally saw a huge turnout from its supporters, who were calling for parivartan (change), including other aspects like removal of infiltrators while also being careful to show their support to Hindu migrants who are not in the infiltrator category.
Election dates are to be announced soon by the Election Commission of India for five states going to polls in about a month from now. Notably, both the TMC and BJP are raising the stakes for what is seen as a high-voltage election.