Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday came down heavily on the Trinamul Congress government in Bengal for allegedly obstructing the implementation of central schemes in the state while being silent on Sunday’s mini-tornado that hit three north Bengal districts, killing four persons and injuring 160.

In his first public meeting in Bengal, after the Lok Sabha election schedule was announced, Modi targeted the Mamata Banerjee administration for its alleged failure to implement several central schemes.

“Trinamul doesn’t let us implement in Bengal whatever scheme we introduce at the Centre. They have not let us launch Ayushman Bharat (health insurance scheme) in the state while it has been implemented in the entire country,” Modi told the rally on the Raasmela Ground in Cooch Behar.

He said a series of infrastructure projects had been executed across the country.

“However, the projects didn’t end on time in Bengal even though the Centre has paid a record amount as assistance to the state. This time, you should give a strong message to Trinamul as the party has acted as a stumbling block to the development of the state,” said the Prime Minister.

Modi was trying to counter the Trinamul narrative that the BJP-led central government was denying Bengal its legitimate dues under various schemes as the people of the state did not vote for the BJP in the 2021 Assembly polls.

In his election speech, Modi didn’t touch on the mini-tornado that hit the three districts of Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar and Cooch Behar in north Bengal on Sunday.

Mamata, who was in Calcutta on Sunday after a
poll rally in Krishnanagar, flew to Siliguri late in the evening. She visited the homes of the deceased, the hospital where the injured were under treatment and reached the
affected areas and a relief camp. Her visit continued till early Monday morning.

Since then, the chief minister has been camping in north Bengal, overseeing the relief and rehabilitation initiatives of the state administration.

The BJP, on the other hand, was late in reaching the storm-affected
people. Only Jayanta Roy, BJP’s Jalpaiguri Lok Sabha nominee and a doctor by profession, was at the hospital, examining the injured.

“If the Prime Minister had spoken about the storm-affected people, it would have helped us in the polls. Trinamul is highlighting the chief minister’s early visit to the affected places. All we can do is to wait till April 7 when the Prime Minister will be in Jalpaiguri to address another public meeting,” said a BJP functionary.

Modi on Thursday again broached the Sandeshkhali issue.

“The whole country has seen how the Trinamul government tried to save the accused people at Sandeshkhali. The torture that was meted out to women there is a glaring example of Trinamul’s misdeeds.… The BJP has vowed to ensure that all the accused are punished. These people will have to spend their whole life behind bars,” said Modi.

The Prime Minister was critical of the INDIA bloc and alleged that those involved in corruption had joined the alliance. He referred to the corruption charges levelled against former members of the Mamata Banerjee cabinet.

“During the next five years, more stringent steps will be taken against those involved in corruption. The BJP wants to remove corrupt people (from public life) while they want to protect the corrupt. Here, in Bengal, crores of rupees have been recovered from Trinamul leaders,” Modi said.

Mamata Banerjee, who spoke at a public meeting in Mathabhanga in Cooch Behar, around 40km from the Raasmela Ground, on Thursday targetted the Modi government for the halt in the release of central funds.

“Why have you stopped providing funds for the 100-day-work scheme, the housing scheme and the road scheme to Bengal in the past three years? This is blatant deprivation as you have collected lakhs of crores of rupees from the state as taxes...,” she said.

The Trinamul chairperson said the state had also contributed to certain central schemes. “I don’t come from Delhi (like Modi) here to do politics but work on the ground. Ahead of elections, these people come here and make tall talks,” she said.