 "JP Nadda")
BJP president J P Nadda on Tuesday asserted that the rich culture of West Bengal is under threat in Mamata Banerjee's rule, and said she should atone for the "misrule and misgovernance" of her regime as days of TMC ministry are numbered.
Nadda, who flagged off the second and third phases of the 'Parivartan Yatra' from Tarapith in Birbhum district and Lalgarh in Jhargram district, slammed the TMC for dividing communities by branding people as "insiders and outsiders".
Nadda had on Saturday launched the rath yatra which would criss-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 be defeated by the people in the upcoming assembly elections.
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Polls to 294-member Bengal house are expected in April-May.
"Under Mamata Banerjee's rule, the rich culture and heritage of 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 one another by branding them as insiders and outsiders. This is shameful. It is not the culture of the land of Swami Vivekananda, Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore," Nadda said.
The TMC's slogan of 'Maa, Mati, Manush' (mother, land and people) has been reduced to "dictatorship, tolabaji (extortion) and appeasement", he said, adding the BJP would bring "asol paribartan" (real change) in Bengal.
Lashing out at "dynastic politics" in the TMC, Nadda criticised 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 to be fought politically. It doesn't mean you will call names. Those who have inherited power can only behave in such a manner," the senior BJP leader said.
"The type of adjectives she used for me recently, the kind of outsider comments made by her and others in the party against us, shows Mamata ji and her nephew are not fit to protect the legacy of Bengal, its inclusiveness known for centuries," he said at Tarapith.
After Naddas convoy was attacked in December last year allegedly by the TMC supporters, Banerjee had mockingly said "They (BJP) has no other work. At times the Home Minister is here. Other times its Chaddha, Nadda, Fadda, Bhaddha here."
Later while flagging off rath yatra from Lalgarh, once a hotbed of Maoist insurgency, Nadda said Banerjee should start atonement for the "misrule and misgovernance" of her regime as the days of TMC ministry are numbered.
"The TMC's politics of polarisation, autocracy, corruption and cut-money breed corruption. Mamata ji, the people of Bengal, will not forgive you and teach you an apt lesson.
"They will show you the doors and bring in the government that works for the people of Bengal," Nadda said here.
"Mamata ji days of your government are numbered. You have done nothing in terms of development in the last ten years. You and your party should start atonement for the misrule of TMC dispensation," he said mounting attack on the TMC supremo.
Nadda also said Banerjee has "problems" with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other BJP leaders coming to Bengal.
"A few days back, the prime minister came to Haldia and inaugurated a project. Mamata ji, PM will come and bring development projects to Bengal. The central government wants such projects in Bengal. It is your government which is creating hurdles... Mamata ji doesn't want development. The TMC is only interested in politics," he said.
Nadda alleged that only the ruling TMC leaders have benefited under Banerjee, and even funds meant for relief in the aftermath of cyclone Amphan,were misappropriated by them.
Continuing his attack on Banerjee, he said the people of Bengal have made up their mind to elect a BJP government in the assembly polls.
Coming to the defence of deserters from the TMC, Nadda said leaders like Suvendu Adhikari have understood that there is no place for "Maa, Maati or Manush" (Mother, land and people) in the TMC's scheme of things.
Adhikari had recently switched over to the saffron camp.
"The BJP will bring the change for development, prosperity and restoration of democracy. In the first cabinet meeting of the BJP government, a decision will be taken to implement all central schemes in the state," he asserted.
Banerjee had ridiculed BJP's rath yatra as a "five-star hotel on the wheels".
"This is not rath but a five-star hotel. They are travelling on five-star hotel and are lecturing us," the feisty Bengal leader said while addressing a rally at Murshidabad.
The TMC leadership said those who have destroyed the country's inclusive culture are giving sermons to others.
"The BJP and its affiliates have destroyed the rich culture and heritage of the country.
"The BJP leaders who know nothing about Bengal's rich heritage should be the last person to lecture us on protecting its culture," senior TMC leader and minister Chandrima Bhattacharya said.
(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
