PM's growing beard inversely proportional to the state of economy Mamata

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    Daspur/ Debra(WB), Mar 26 (PTI) West Bengal Chief
Minister Mamata Banerjee Friday mocked Prime Minister Narendra
Modi over his beard, saying its growth is inversely
proportional to the state of economy.
    Banerjee, who was addressing poll rallies in Paschim
Medinipur district, also called the BJP the "biggest fraud
party".
The TMC supremo, who is contesting assembly election
from the high-profile Nandigram seat in Purba Medinipur
district, said she will stay put there till the end of polling
in the constituency on April 1 as the BJP may "loot votes by
using goons from other states".
    She also warned TMC workers against complacency.
    "India's economy has gone for a toss. There is no
industrial growth. There is no growth except for the beard of
Narendra Modiji. At times he dresses like Rabindranath Tagore
and at time likes Mahatma Gandhi," she said mocking the prime
minister.
    Banerjee said, "The day is not far when the entire
country will be sold and named after Narendra Modi ... BJP is
trying to throttle democracy."
    "As we (opposition parties) are all busy with assembly
elections in five states, the BJP government is passing laws
to usurp the constitutional powers of the elected government
in Delhi by giving more powers to the lieutenant governor.
This is shameful," she said.
    Recounting the cancellation of the visa of
Bangladeshi actor Firdaus after he campaigned for her party in
the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Banerjee said the US should scrap
Modi's visa for "campaigning for former president Donald
Trump".
    "Have you forgotten the slogan 'Abki Bar Trump
Sarkar'?" she asked.
    Donald Trump's campaign, in a bid to woo the
influential Indian-American voters in the US presidential
election, had launched a video containing clips of Modi's
speeches and former US president's address in Ahmedabad.
    The TMC supremo, who held three poll rallies in
Paschim Medinipur district during the day, claimed that BJP
has "hired goons to threaten people".
    "These goons might visit households and ask women with
folded hands to vote for them or face the threat of being
herded out," she said.
     "Don't be overconfident or complacent. BJP is the
biggest fraud and janjal (deceitful) party. It can go to any
extent to win the elections at any cost. Your duty is not over
even after the voting gets over. You have to guard the EVMs,"
Banerjee told TMC workers at a rally in Daspur.
    She alleged that police personnel from Uttar Pradesh,
Madhya Pradesh and Bihar, where the BJP is in power, were
being brought to West Bengal to rig the polls.
    "They (police personnel) will act in favour of BJP. If
you sense anything amiss, rise in protest. Mothers and sisters
should take the lead in such protests if you see any illegal
activity," she said.
    "Be ready with utensils and broomsticks to chase away
such elements if they issue a threat," Banerjee told women at
the meeting.
    She said some such people from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar
were arrested from Nandigram area on Thursday night.
     "They (BJP) think they can rig the polls. We will not
allow that to happen. I will stay put in Nandigram from March
28 till the elections are over there. I will myself see how
they loot votes," she asserted.
    The BJP has hired "borgis from outside to loot votes".
    Borgis were a category of Maratha empire's troops who
indulged in large-scale plunder during expeditions in Bengal
in the 18th century.
    Alleging that EVMs could be tampered with to help the
BJP win the election, Banerjee asked TMC polling agents to
check them twice on polling days and guard them till May 2
when the votes will be counted.
    "If members of the central forces ask you to leave,
tell them that you respect them, but they should not work for
Modiji," she said.
    The eight-phase election to the 294-member West
Bengal Assembly begins on March 27. PTI PNT KK
SK SK

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)