'Strangled democracy in Bengal'
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a scathing attack on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who is making efforts to bring together opposition parties to fight the BJP in the upcoming national election, due in about three months.
At a rally in West Bengal's Durgapur, Modi accused the Trinamool chief of "strangling democracy in Bengal". The PM, who launched the BJP's campaign in the state, said that the people of Bengal want a "parivartan (change)" and are determined to throw Mamata Banerjee.
Modi alleged that Mamata was treading the path of the previous communist government to trample democracy. "She should know it did not work then and it will not work now," he said.
The Bengal government, which is infamous for "triple T -- Trinamool Tolabazi Tax", is killing the aspirations of the middle class, PM Modi emphasised. ''Tolabazi'' roughly translates to an act of organised extortion.
Last month, Mamata Banerjee had hosted the "United India Rally" in Kolkata that brought together over 25 top leaders from 23 parties from across the country with one common objective -- unite to oust the BJP.
PM Modi had dissed the proposed "mahagathbandhan" as an alliance "against the people".
"Those who would not see face-to-face four years ago, are now hugging each other," PM Modi took swipe at the united opposition today.
Earlier in the day, in a short address in Thakurnagar, PM Modi urged the Mamata Banerjee-led government to support the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill in Rajya Sabha.
"After Independence, many people stayed where they were. But after being tortured, they left and came back to India. They had to as Hindus, Sikhs, Parsis and Christians have nowhere else to go but India. And that's why we are bringing the citizenship law. I urge the Trinamool to support it in parliament. My brothers and sisters here need it," the PM said.
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