Kolkata, May 29 (PTI) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of attempting to gain political mileage out of Operation Sindoor – the Centre's military response to the April 22 Pahalgam attack.
Banerjee also asserted that her party, the Trinamool Congress, was ready to go to polls as early as tomorrow, referring to Bengal BJP chief and Union minister Sukanta Majumdar’s ‘Operation Bengal’ remark about “throwing the TMC in the Bay of Bengal in next year’s assembly elections”.
"What PM Modi said today is not only shocking but unfortunate... He and his party leaders have suggested 'Operation Bengal' like Operation Sindoor at a time when the entire opposition is representing the country on the world stage (to support the Centre’s anti-terror stand)," she told reporters at the state secretariat.
Earlier in the day, in the presence of Modi, Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari and Majumdar gave a call for ‘Operation Bengal’ akin to Operation Sindoor, to press for a political change in the 2026 assembly elections.
"... Coming to the state and talking about ‘Operation Bengal’ just like Operation Sindoor means... he (Modi) is comparing the dignity of Bengal's women with terrorists. I challenge them. If you have the guts, you can go for elections tomorrow. We are ready, Bengal is ready," she said.
Banerjee also questioned the Centre on why the terrorists behind the Pahalgam attack were not yet nabbed.
"Why couldn't you arrest the terrorists even after so many days? Did you catch those who wiped off the sindoor of our women? Could you eliminate them?” she said.
On the BJP’s reported plans to distribute vermilion among women across the country, the chief minister said: “Please remember every woman has respect, they accept sindoor only from her husband... The way you are talking... you are not the husband of everybody; why are you not giving sindoor to your Mrs first?” she said.
The TMC supremo said she did not want to get into such details, but claimed that she was compelled to do so.
"The Centre named it ‘Operation Sindoor’ for political gains ahead of upcoming elections (in various states),” she alleged.
“First, he (Modi) used to call himself a tea-seller, then a ‘chowkidar’, and now he has come to sell sindoor. He cannot sell sindoor like this," Banerjee said.
She also slammed Modi and accused him of pursuing the policy of divide and rule, following the PM's criticism of her government at a rally in Alipurduar on Thursday.
“And why did he need to bring people from Assam, Cooch Behar and Jalpaiguri for this event in Alipurduar, as a small number of people turned up for the PM’s rally? This means the people of North Bengal have shown that they don't have any faith in the PM,” claimed Banerjee.
Modi listed five major crises that are allegedly "plaguing" Bengal under the TMC rule, including “widespread violence and lawlessness, growing sense of insecurity among women, despair among the youth due to unemployment and lack of opportunities”.
Slamming the TMC over the multi-crore teacher recruitment scam, Modi alleged, “This is not just the destruction of the lives of a few thousand teachers, but the entire education system is deteriorating. Even now, the TMC refuses to admit its mistakes. Instead, they are blaming the courts and the judicial system.”
Reacting to the PM’s remarks, Banerjee said courts should be allowed to function in an impartial manner.
“... It was you (Modi) who mentioned about the court’s intervention today... We consider the courts to be impartial, but as per your speech, even courts are given instructions... Let the courts function impartially,” she said.
Dismissing the PM’s allegations of lawlessness in the state, she referred to the recent episodes of violence in Murshidabad and Malda, claiming that such incidents were orchestrated by the BJP.
"We have enough evidence that the BJP triggered the unrest in Murshidabad and Malda. When the time is right, we will reveal that to the common people,” she said.
“In Bengal, we have a humanitarian government. Corruption is far worse in states ruled by the saffron party. Yet, no action is ever taken.
“In Tripura, your government removed over 10,000 teachers. In Uttar Pradesh, 69,000 teachers lost their jobs. What did your government do? Nothing. The dignity with which women live in Bengal, do we see the same in UP, Bihar, Assam, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh? Women feel safe here. There may be some incidents, but we take swift action (against the culprits). But what did you do? Those who harassed our women, you lauded them," Banerjee asserted.
The chief minister also accused Modi of insulting tribals, those belonging to the scheduled caste, minorities and even Hindus.
She asked the Centre to clear the state’s dues under various schemes.
“Before criticising us, the prime minister should first release Rs 1.75 lakh crore pending dues,” the chief minister said.