New Delhi: The Congress on Tuesday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of handing tickets to "corrupt politicians" and asked how can the PM make pretensions about eradicating corruption when the "BJP washing machine" is clearly at full spin in West Bengal.
Congress general secretary in-charge communications, Jairam Ramesh, attacked the BJP ahead of his political rally in West Bengal. "Today's questions for the PM as he heads to West Bengal: Has the ED forgotten about Tapas Roy? Why does the BJP keep making empty promises about Gorkhaland? Can the PM help Justice Ganguly in choosing between Gandhi and Godse?" he said.
"Jumla details below: TMC leader Tapas Roy was raided by the ED in January this year in connection with a money laundering case. A damning video shows Suvendu Adhikari -- himself a beneficiary of the Washing Machine Yojana and now the BJP's LoP in West Bengal - stating that Tapas Roy was involved in a municipal recruitment scam," he said on X and shared the video of Adhikari.
"Just three months later, in March, Roy joined Suvendu Adhikari in the BJP and is now contesting from Kolkata Uttar Lok Sabha seat. The ED probe is supposedly still on. The PM's 'Bhrashtachar Hatao' slogan is shamelessly plastered all over the country even as his party is busy handing tickets to corrupt politicians. Why has ED action against leaders like Tapas Roy been stalled?" Ramesh said.
"How can the PM make pretensions to eradicating corruption when the BJP Washing Machine is clearly at full spin in West Bengal?" the Congress leader said.
Noting that widespread protests broke out in Darjeeling last year when the Gorkhas renewed their long-standing demands for a solution to the Gorkhaland issue, Ramesh said that in its election manifestos of 2004, 2009, 2014 and 2019, the BJP has promised a "permanent political solution to the issue of Darjeeling Hills, Siliguri Terai and Dooars region".
Despite winning the Darjeeling Parliamentary seat in every election since 2004, the BJP has shown no attempt to take any concrete action, he claimed.
"Promises are made before every election, only to be conveniently swept under the carpet when the BJP retains power. Only the Congress has taken concrete action to address the people's concerns - setting up the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration in 2012, and its predecessor, the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council, in 1988," he said.
Do the prime minister and the BJP have the integrity to finally follow through on their empty promises, he asked. "How does the PM plan to address the long-standing issues of the Gorkha people?" Ramesh said.
He said that Justice Abhijit Ganguly's resignation to contest the elections for the BJP has raised serious questions about the independence of the judiciary.
"In addition to those doubts, his comments since then have raised doubts about the BJP and the PM's commitment to our country itself. When asked to choose between Gandhi and Godse, Mr. Ganguly said he would need 'time to think' about this choice. At a time when BJP's MPs and MP candidates are threatening to amend the Constitution all over the country, this raises fears about the BJP's commitment to Indian nationalism and the Indian state," Ramesh said.
Can the PM clarify his personal stance on choosing between Gandhi and Godse, he asked and added, "Does he also need time to think?" Ramesh urged the prime minister to break his silence on these issues.
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