Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday launched the BJP’s general-election campaign in Bengal with a 30-minute speech that began by mentioning the Ram temple and moved on to the alleged assault on women in Sandeshkhali, appearing to signal an intent to gain electoral dividend through communal polarisation.
In the first of three outings in Bengal planned over the next one week, Modi set his party an ambitious target by speaking about winning “every” seat in the state.
“Bharat will become viksit (developed) only when Bengal is viksit. For this, the lotus (the BJP’s poll symbol) must bloom in every seat of Bengal,” Modi said.
“This Lok Sabha election will mark the beginning of the countdown to the farewell for… the defeat of the Trinamul government here.”
Ram and Rammohan
Modi brought up the January 22 consecration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya.
“After a wait of 500 years, Prabhu Shri Ram came to his temple,” he said, alluding to the Sangh Parivar claim that the Babri Masjid was built after demolishing a Ram temple in 1528.
“The way Ram Lalla was welcomed in Bengal, the devotion to Ram displayed by the people of Bengal... inspired the entire nation.”
Modi then referred to the Ramayan hero’s namesake and son of Hooghly, Raja Rammohan Roy.
He hailed Bengal as the land that honours Matri Shakti and lauded Roy — born in 1772 at Khanakul, barely 25km from the rally venue — for his pioneering role in empowering women. Modi claimed Roy had inspired him in his own work.
Sandeshkhali
Modi then brought up Sandeshkhali, presumably on account of the allegations of crimes against women in the North 24-Parganas island.
“The ones who speak of Ma-Mati-Manush, what have they done with the women of Sandeshkhali? It has enraged the country. Raja Rammohan Roy’s soul must be pained at the activities of these people at Sandeshkhali,” Modi said. The Prime Minister accused Mamata Banerjee of protecting the guilty.
“When the sisters of Sandeshkhali raised their voice and asked Mamatadidi for help, what did she and her government do? They used their energies to protect their own leaders,” Modi said.
“Leaders of the BJP fought against this day and night, standing up for the dignity of the women, and were even beaten up with sticks. At last, Bengal police were forced to arrest the (prime) accused (Sheikh Shahjahan) under this pressure.”
Apparently alluding to Trinamul’s Sandeshkhali strongman Shahjahan, Modi wondered how he had been able to hide for nearly two months.
The reference to Shahjahan — who belongs to a minority community — in connection with the alleged sexual abuse of women, a source said, was in keeping with a polarisartion agenda in the run-up to the polls.
“Somebody must have protected him. Will you forgive Trinamul? Will you or will you not avenge these heinous crimes against women?” Modi said.
“Har chot ka jawab vote sey dena hay (Answer every injury with your vote).”
Minority voters
Modi said Trinamul’s alleged arrogance stemmed from its confidence in the support of minorities and said this would change.
“The people of Bengal are asking the Bengal chief minister, are the votes of some people more important than the aggrieved women of Sandeshkhali? You should be ashamed,” he said.
“Their arrogance will be shattered this time. Muslim mothers and sisters too will come forward now to uproot the Trinamul government.”
Almost one in three voters in Bengal is a Muslim.
INDIA’s ‘silence’
Modi said the “INDI Alliance” leadership had surprised him with its alleged silence on Sandeshkhali.
“The tallest leaders of that alliance behaved like the three monkeys of Gandhiji and sat with their eyes, mouth... and ears shut on Sandeshkhali,” he claimed.
In reality, though, the state units of the CPM and the Congress have been protesting as fiercely as Modi’s party, if not more, against the Sandeshkhali atrocities.
