On Tuesday, immediately after getting discharged from the hospital, BJP President Amit Shah headed straight to Malda in West Bengal to kick off party’s Lok Sabha campaign in the state. He addressed a rally in Malda after the chopper landing row. Earlier, Mamata government had denied permission to BJP’s ‘Rath Yatra’ in the state. Amit Shah lambasted the TMC government for the same and for not giving landing permission to his chopper in Malda. Shah’s rally has come days after the state chief minister hosted a mega opposition gathering in Kolkata.
Amit Shah in his address vowed to free West Bengal from the corrupt, undemocratic, anti-people and murderous TMC government. He said, “I have come here to kick off our election campaign in Bengal. We have to take a pledge today to remove this undemocratic, corrupt, anti-people and murderous TMC government from power. This election will mark the beginning of the end for TMC in Bengal which has killed democracy and politicised the administration.”
He also slammed the state government for not allowing BJP’s Rath Yatras in the state. The BJP chief said, “Mamata Banerjee got scared and did not allow us to take out Rath Yatras here. She was certain that if we take out the yatras then it will signal her antim yatra (last journey). If you stop us from taking out Raths, then we will take out rallies and hold meetings. Now her government did not give permission to land my chopper. If you do not let us land the chopper, then I will speak from the helicopter. You cannot stop us from coming to Bengal. The more you stop us and beat up our workers, the more lotus will bloom in Bengal.” He also added that the state administration has been politicised by the incumbent government.
BJP President took a jibe at the West Bengal government over Saradha, Narada and Rose Valley scams and added that half of the central government funds for state government are amassed by TMC leaders. Amit Shah further said, “Another half of the money is amassed by infiltrators. If we come to power here then we will not allow infiltration in Bengal. She keeps mum as they are her party’s vote bank.”
Amit Shah assured that Hindus, Buddhist, and Sikh need not fear the NRC as he said, “I am assuring Hindu, Buddhist and Sikh people living here that they need not fear NRC.” He went on to ask West Bengal CM, “I want to ask Mamata, the refugees who have come from Bangladesh are asking you whether you will support the Citizenship Amendment Bill.”
He also asked the audience, “Do you want a Bengal where there is no permission to immerse the idol of Durga and there is no permission to worship Saraswati.” Shah said that if the BJP manages to come to power in Bengal, not a single cow will be smuggled.
After attacking TMC, Amit Shah shifted his focus to recently held mega opposition gathering in Kolkata. Describing it as a selfish alliance, the BJP chief said, “What kind of alliance is this? Their agenda is clear. They want to remove Modi. Our agenda is clear. We want to remove poverty and unemployment. Mamata Banerjee cannot remove Modi by holding hands with four to five leaders. This alliance will not work as they want a majboor (helpless) government but we want a majboot (strong) government.”
Throughout the entire rally in Malda, Amit Shah didn’t look sick or tired given he has been recently discharged from the hospital. His rally is set to boost the morale of the BJP cadres and would give the much-needed momentum to the massive BJP undercurrent that already exists in the state.