India / Don't want anyone to get hurt but your scooty landed in Nandigram: PM to Mamata

Kolkata: Taking a jibe at West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said her scooty is destined to fall in Nandigram from where she is contesting the assembly elections.

Addressing his first rally at Brigade Parade Ground after the announcement of the West Bengal Assembly poll schedule, the Prime Minister said, "Your (Mamata Banerjee) scooty took a turn towards Nandigram instead of going to Bhawanipore. Didi, I wish everyone well and do not want anyone to be hurt. But what can I do if the scooty is destined to fall in Nandigram?

PM Modi's comment comes in the backdrop of the event where Banerjee drove an electric scooter to travel to her residence in Kalighat from the state secretariat 'Nabanna' in Howrah as a mark of protest against the fuel price hike last month.

Referring to 'Pisi-bhaipo' jibe, PM Modi said, "The people of Bengal had chosen you as 'Didi' but then why did you remain just the aunt of a nephew? The people of Bengal are asking only this one question from you."

Launching a scathing attack on Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee, Prime Minister Modi said that West Bengal relied on her for ushering in a change, but she broke the trust and insulted the people of the state.

"You are well aware of the condition of 'Maa, Manush, Maati'. Mothers are being attacked on the streets and in their houses. Recently, the cruelty unleashed on an 80-year-old mother has shown their cruel face to the entire country. They made promises to work for 'Maa, maati, manush'. But you tell me, has TMC been able to bring change in the lives of common people here in the last ten years?" said the Prime Minister.

He further said, "You know it well how the democratic system has been destroyed here. BJP will strengthen this system. We will bring a change to re-establish public belief in government systems, in the police and the administration."

"The dream of 'Sonar Bangla' will be fulfilled. I have come here today to assure you of Bengal's development, to increase investment here, to protect Bengal's culture and to bring change," he added.

"In this Assembly election, there are TMC, Left and Congress, and their anti-Bengal attitude on one side. On the other side, there are people of Bengal," PM Modi said further.

"This ground has also been a witness to the stalled development of Bengal. This ground has also seen the policies and conspiracies of those who put the land of Bengal round the clock in a bandh," he said.

West Bengal will witness Assembly election in eight phases starting from March 27 and polling for the last phase will take place on April 29. The counting of votes will take place on May 2.

After winning 3 seats in the 2016 Assembly election in West Bengal, the BJP made deep inroads in the state in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections winning 18 seats and reducing TMC's tally to 22. Out of the total 42 Lok Sabha constituencies in West Bengal, Congress won two seats, the Left drew a blank.