PM Modi Blasts TMC, Accuses Banerjee of Threatening Monks and Shielding Corruption

Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemned the attack on the Ramakrishna Mission ashram, accusing the TMC government of terrorizing monks and appeasing its vote bank. Speaking at a rally, he criticized Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for threatening socio-religious organizations and shielding corruption, while predicting the downfall of TMC in upcoming polls.

Condemning the attack on the Ramakrishna Mission ashram in West Bengal's Jalpaiguri, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday accused the TMC regime of unleashing a reign of terror on monks to appease its vote bank.

Addressing an election rally in Jhargram, Modi claimed that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee herself is ''issuing threats'' against the monks of the Ramakrishna Mission and Bharat Sevashram Sangha, emboldening ''TMC goons to attack'' the ashram. ''In Bengal, the TMC has taken up the onus of hurting the religious faith. The TMC leaders deem the Ram Mandir unholy and the government halts Ram Navami celebrations. The TMC goons orchestrate attacks on Ram Navami processions,” he said.

The chief minister herself threatened Hindu saints, Modi claimed adding: “On Sunday night, the Ramakrishna Mission ashram in Jalpaiguri was attacked. The people of Bengal will not tolerate this.'' His remarks follow the vandalism on the Ramakrishna Mission premises in Jalpaiguri district on early Sunday, where miscreants threatened monks and other employees at gunpoint. An RKM official suggested that a local land mafia was behind the incident.

Modi criticised Banerjee's recent comments against a few monks of the Ramakrishna Mission and Bharat Sevashram Sangha (BSS).

''ISKCON, Ramakrishna Mission and Bharat Sevashram Sangha are known for service and morality, but today the chief minister of Bengal is openly threatening them. This is being done to appease the vote bank. As the CM herself is threatening the monks, TMC goons now dare to attack Ramakrishna Mission,” he said. To appease vote bank, the TMC government is crossing all limits, he said.

Addressing an election rally in Goghat under the Arambagh Lok Sabha constituency on May 18, Banerjee had claimed, ''Some monks of Ramakrishna Mission and Bharat Sevashram Sangha are working under the influence of BJP leaders in Delhi.'' Criticising her statement, Modi said, ''The TMC does not care about the sentiments of the people of Bengal. They have no sympathy for the feelings of the Hindus here. The people of Bengal will not tolerate this insult.'' The prime minister also accused Banerjee of abusing saints and monks of the state to appease her vote bank.

''The TMC is jittery because the party sees its time is over. The TMC anticipated a defeat in the polls and thus its anger and frustration is at the peak,'' he said while reminiscing about his association with the RKM monastic order.

Modi on Sunday had also accused Banerjee of ''threatening'' these socio-religious organisations, claiming that she was ''under pressure from Muslim extremists'' to ''appease'' the TMC's vote bank. Lambasting the TMC dispensation for putting ''Bengal's identity at risk'', the prime minister said, ''The TMC welcomes infiltrators which have led to change in the demography of the state.'' ''The TMC is concerned only about its vote bank. They are allowing infiltrators to settle in Bengal, leading to a decline in the population of Bengal's border areas. These infiltrators come into our country and occupy the land of our Dalits, backward classes, and tribals. Is infiltration good for the country or Bengal?'' he said at the rally.

Today, the whole country is worried about Bengal, Modi claimed.

“Violence and riots occur almost every day in the state. BJP workers are killed. There are attempts to erase the identity of tribal brothers and sisters,'' he alleged.

The prime minister alleged the TMC and the Congress want to legalize the occupation of infiltrators.

''The Congress party is saying they will investigate everyone's property. Then they will give your money, your land to their vote bank. Do you accept this? Will you let this happen?'' he questioned. He slammed the TMC for corruption in the state, claiming that the Mamata Banerjee-led party had introduced a rate card for every job in Bengal. ''On one hand, there is Modi's report card about jobs, and on the other hand, there is a rate card of the TMC. The TMC has put up a rate card for every job in Bengal, where jobs are up for sale. You pay and you will get a job. Government jobs are under the grip of TMC's syndicate,'' he said. TMC ministers openly sold jobs, jeopardizing the future of the new generation, he alleged.

“Do you know who is protecting these scams? Who is shielding the accused of corruption? Who is preventing the CBI from doing its job in Bengal?'' he added.

Modi also said the people of Bengal know that Congress is a 'sunken ship', and there is a hole in the ship of the TMC, an ally of the INDIA bloc. ''No matter how hard they try, their drowning is certain,'' he said.