‘Modi Ki Guarantee Is Putting All Oppn Leaders In Jail After June 4’: CM Mamata Tears Into BJP

New Delhi: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s promise to combat corruption post-June 4, stating that the BJP’s “Modi ki Guarantee” implies a crackdown on opposition leaders after the elections. Speaking at a rally in Bankura, the TMC chief accused the BJP of transforming the entire country into a jail. CM Banerjee urged the wives of TMC leaders to take to the streets if their husbands are arrested, ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, which will see results announced on June 4 after seven phases of voting from April 19 to June 1.

Continuing her criticism of central agencies, CM Banerjee accused the National Investigation Agency (NIA) of conducting operations in Bhupatinagar, Purba Medinipur district, without informing local police. She expressed her dissatisfaction with the manner in which the NIA carried out its activities. Additionally, CM Banerjee voiced her objection to PM Modi’s remarks that stern action would be taken against the opposition for corruption post-Lok Sabha election results, reported news agency PTI.

PM Modi, while addressing an election rally in Jalpaiguri on Sunday, had claimed that while he says remove corruption, the opposition says save the corrupt, promising more stringent action against the corrupt after June 4. 

“Is this how a Prime Minister should speak? What if I say I will put BJP leaders in jail after the election? But I will not say this as this is unacceptable in a democracy”, she said. CM Mamata further added, “This is actually ‘Modi ki guarantee’, putting all opposition leaders in jail after June 4”.

BJP Turned Country Into A Jail: Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee

CM Mamata Banerjee accused the BJP of turning the country and democracy into a jail, saying that central agencies such as the ED, CBI, NIA, and Income Tax are being used as tools to intimidate political opponents. She emphasised the party’s resilience against such tactics, declaring that the BJP cannot intimidate them. CM Banerjee criticised the BJP for conducting raids on the homes of TMC leaders at night.

The remarks come in the wake of a reported attack on a team of NIA investigators by a mob while attempting to arrest suspects in a 2022 blast case in Purba Medinipur district. CM Banerjee accused the investigators of assaulting villagers during the incident, sparking a political controversy. “Sending agencies to harass women in the area at midnight and later claiming that these women attacked the NIA personnel is unacceptable”, Bengal CM said.

CM Banerjee reiterated that law and order issues are within the purview of the state jurisdiction, emphasising the impropriety of central agencies conducting operations without informing local police. She condemned the reported incident of women being attacked at 3 am without prior notification to local authorities, only for the police to be informed at 5 am. Banerjee emphasized that such actions are unacceptable, as per PTI.

CM Mamata Banerjee slammed the central government over the arrest of tribal leader and former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren, as well as her Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal. She questioned the rationale behind Soren’s arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in January, linking it to an alleged land scam. 

“Why was Arvind Kejriwal arrested? He is working from jail. His arrest won’t make any difference as he will win the election next time with a bigger margin”, she said.  

Mamata Banerjee took aim at PM Modi for what she perceived as his failure to address the needs of people affected by a storm in Jalpaiguri. Hitting at the BJP government at the Centre, CM Banerjee accused it of neither announcing relief nor allowing the state government to provide assistance, citing concerns about violating the model code of conduct. She said that during the Prime Minister’s recent visit to Jalpaiguri, he did not mention providing relief to those affected by the storm, despite the loss of lives and damage to property.