KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday asserted that it was her state government that took steps to save lives from Cyclone Remal that hit the state and accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of not telling the truth about the Indian government’s efforts in surveillance and rescue operations in the aftermath of the storm.
Addressing an election rally in Barasat, PM Modi said his government was extending all assistance to the West Bengal government to deal with the situation in the aftermath of Cyclone Remal, which made landfall in the state and the neighbouring coastal areas of Bangladesh around Sunday late night.
“We have shifted around 4.6 million people (to safer places) and saved their lives,” the prime minister said at a rally in support of Indian National Congress candidate Mala Roy in Kolkata’s Dakshina Lok Sabha constituency in Behala.
Banerjee said it was unfortunate that seven people died in the cyclone and lakhs of people could have lost their lives if the state government had not taken proper measures.
Banerjee asserted that the prime minister’s claim that the Indian government was monitoring the cyclone from Delhi was not true. “You (Modi) should think before speaking,” she said, seeking to refute the prime minister’s remarks during his election speeches in Jadavpur and Ashok Nagar on Tuesday.
On the search and rescue and relief operations of the National Disaster Relief Force, Banerjee said states will have to bear the cost of NDRF operations.
“If required, I will not take any assistance from NDRF. We will bear 50 per cent of the cost borne by NDRF,” she said. Banerjee said her administration has been doing all it can to ease the suffering of the cyclone victims and said most of those who had taken refuge in flood shelters have already returned to their homes.
Banerjee asserted that PM Modi had inaugurated the Kolkata metro rail project, which he had initiated during his two terms as railway minister.
“He will never get a chance to launch any more projects and he will never return (to power),” Banerjee said.
Banerjee accused the BJP of orchestrating Sandeshkari’s allegations of sexual atrocities against women.
She questioned the reason for holding India’s Lok Sabha elections in seven phases and alleged that the Election Commission was following Prime Minister Modi’s instructions.
Ms Banerjee accused Prime Minister Modi of trying to dictate what people should eat.
“PM Modi, you can eat what you like but should Bengalis be deprived of fish and rice?” she asked. The prime minister claimed Bengal’s growth rate is higher than India’s as a whole and accused the BJP of plotting to steal jobs from the state.
“He says he will return the money looted from the people, but it is the BJP that has sold out the country,” she said.
Alleging that the Modi government has failed to uncover black money as promised, she said, “The mafia has been turned from black to white in the BJP’s washing machine.”
Banerjee alleged that the Modi government at the Centre has “turned the country into a prison”.
She asserted that if Modi returns to power there will be no more elections in the country.
Demanding that a public debate be held at a place of Modi’s choice, Banerjee said, “Let the press ask questions to PM Modi and me.”
She claimed the country and the Constitution had been sold.
Banerjee said she would also take out a rally on Wednesday from Shyambazar to Swami Vivekananda’s residence on Shimla Road in north Kolkata, the route along which the prime minister held a roadshow on Tuesday.
She reiterated that the TMC is not aligning with any political party in the ongoing West Bengal Assembly elections and said that having fought the CPI-M for 34 years, it has no intention of joining hands with the party.
“If they (CPI-M) are with other parties in Delhi, why should I oppose them? But in Bengal, we are fighting alone,” she said.
On PM Modi’s “God sent” comment, the TMC supremo said, “A person like God should not be involved in politics. I will build a temple for him and offer flowers, sweets and even dhokla.”
She alleged that PM Modi visits Bengal only before elections and accused the BJP government of depriving the state of funds that should be paid by the Centre.
“He (PM Modi) had once said that Durga Puja was not allowed to be performed in Bengal, but the state won a UNESCO award for its Durga Puja celebrations, proving him wrong,” she said.
Published May 28, 2024 20:22 IST
