Bengal's rich culture under threat in Mamata's rule;Didi start atonement for misrule: Nadda

BJP president J P Nadda onTuesday asserted that the rich culture of West Bengal is underthreat in Mamata Banerjee's rule, and said she should atonefor the ''misrule and misgovernance'' of her regime as days ofTMC ministry are numbered.

Nadda, who flagged off the second and third phases of the'Parivartan Yatra' from Tarapith in Birbhum district andLalgarh in Jhargram district, slammed the TMC for dividingcommunities by branding people as ''insiders and outsiders''.

Nadda had on Saturday launched the rath yatra which wouldcriss-cross poll-bound Bengal.

He alleged the state government has ''criminalised politics,institutionalised corruption and politicised the police''.

The BJP chief also said the ''cut money government'' will bedefeated by the people in the upcoming assembly elections.

Polls to 294-member Bengal house are expected in April-May.

''Under Mamata Banerjee's rule, the rich culture and heritageof West Bengal are under threat. Only the BJP can protect it.

The insider-outsider slogan is not the real culture of Bengal.

''The Trinamool Congress is pitting people against oneanother by branding them as insiders and outsiders. This isshameful. It is not the culture of the land of SwamiVivekananda, Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore,'' Nadda said.

The TMC's slogan of 'Maa, Mati, Manush' (mother, land andpeople) has been reduced to ''dictatorship, tolabaji(extortion) and appeasement'', he said, adding the BJP wouldbring ''asol paribartan'' (real change) in Bengal.

Lashing out at ''dynastic politics'' in the TMC, Naddacriticised its MP Abhishek Banerjee for attacking newly-inducted BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari at a rally in Midnapore.

''In politics, you can have differences, and that has tobe fought politically. It doesn't mean you will call names.

Those who have inherited power can only behave in such amanner,'' the senior BJP leader said.

''The type of adjectives she used for me recently, thekind of outsider comments made by her and others in the partyagainst us, shows Mamata ji and her nephew are not fit toprotect the legacy of Bengal, its inclusiveness known forcenturies,'' he said at Tarapith.

After Naddas convoy was attacked in December last yearallegedly by the TMC supporters, Banerjee had mockingly said''They (BJP) has no other work. At times the Home Minister ishere. Other times its Chaddha, Nadda, Fadda, Bhaddha here.'' Later while flagging off rath yatra from Lalgarh, once ahotbed of Maoist insurgency, Nadda said Banerjee should startatonement for the ''misrule and misgovernance'' of her regime asthe days of TMC ministry are numbered.

''The TMC's politics of polarisation, autocracy, corruptionand cut-money breed corruption. Mamata ji, the people ofBengal, will not forgive you and teach you an apt lesson.

''They will show you the doors and bring in the governmentthat works for the people of Bengal,'' Nadda said here.

''Mamata ji days of your government are numbered. You havedone nothing in terms of development in the last ten years.

You and your party should start atonement for the misrule ofTMC dispensation,'' he said mounting attack on the TMC supremo.

Nadda also said Banerjee has ''problems'' with PrimeMinister Narendra Modi and other BJP leaders coming to Bengal.

''A few days back, the prime minister came to Haldia andinaugurated a project. Mamata ji, PM will come and bringdevelopment projects to Bengal. The central government wantssuch projects in Bengal. It is your government which iscreating hurdles... Mamata ji doesn't want development. TheTMC is only interested in politics,'' he said.

Nadda alleged that only the ruling TMC leaders havebenefited under Banerjee, and even funds meant for relief inthe aftermath of cyclone Amphan,were misappropriated by them.

Continuing his attack on Banerjee, he said the people ofBengal have made up their mind to elect a BJP government inthe assembly polls.

Coming to the defence of deserters from the TMC, Naddasaid leaders like Suvendu Adhikari have understood that thereis no place for ''Maa, Maati or Manush'' (Mother, land andpeople) in the TMC's scheme of things.

Adhikari had recently switched over to the saffron camp.

''The BJP will bring the change for development, prosperityand restoration of democracy. In the first cabinet meeting ofthe BJP government, a decision will be taken to implement allcentral schemes in the state,'' he asserted.

Banerjee had ridiculed BJP's rath yatra as a ''five-starhotel on the wheels''.

''This is not rath but a five-star hotel. They are travellingon five-star hotel and are lecturing us,'' the feisty Bengalleader said while addressing a rally at Murshidabad.

The TMC leadership said those who have destroyed thecountry's inclusive culture are giving sermons to others.

''The BJP and its affiliates have destroyed the richculture and heritage of the country.

''The BJP leaders who know nothing about Bengal's richheritage should be the last person to lecture us on protectingits culture,'' senior TMC leader and minister ChandrimaBhattacharya said.