Tamluk/Jhargarm (WB): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday accused West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of not speaking to him when he tried to contact her to talk about the cyclone Fani. He claimed that 'Didi' is doing "cheap politics" over the calamity.
He alleged his efforts to talk to state government officials to take stock of the situation too was "scuttled" by Banerjee.
"Today, I am back from Odisha after reviewing the situation in the aftermath of the cyclone. I had called 'Didi' twice to discuss the issue with her. I waited for her to call back, but she did not respond She is so arrogant that she did not speak to me," Modi said while addressing election rallies in Tamluk and Jhargram.
Banerjee responded to the prime minister's criticism saying that she could not talk to him because she was camping in Kharagpur to monitor the situation as the cyclone advanced towards West Bengal.
Addressing an election rally in Gopiballavpur sub-division of Jhargram, Banerjee said, "Modi had indeed called her for a meeting at Kalaikunda, where he landed for an election meeting after touring cyclone-battered Odisha.
We are not his servants that we have to go wherever he beckons. Now he is alleging that I have not responded and not extended cooperation."
"My (poll) meeting at Jhargram today was already fixed. The election is on at West Bengal, while it is over in Odisha. Why should I share the stage with an expiry prime minister during election time?" West Bengal CM shot back.
As he could not get through to the chief minister, Modi had called up Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi. He, however, spoke to Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
Banerjee's Trinamool Congress had accused the prime minister of by-passing the chief minister in disregard for the federal structure of the polity. A senior central government official had, however, rejected the allegation, claiming Modi called up Banerjee who did not return it.
Cyclone Fani left a trail of death and destruction in Odisha and also hit parts of West Bengal. A huge controversy has erupted over Modi's failure to get in touch with Banerjee to discuss the situation in the wake of the cyclone.
Modi also accused Banerjee of "religious intolerance", and said people were being arrested for chanting 'Jai Shri Ram'. He dared the chief minister to have him arrested for the chant hailing the Lord.
While addressing the rallies, referring to a recent incident where three people were arrested allegedly for chanting 'Jai Shri Ram' when Banerjee's convoy was passing by, Prime Minister said that in Bengal, people are facing obstacles even while performing pujas and religious rituals. A video of the incident has gone viral on social media.
"Things have reached such a point that if you chant 'Jai Shri Ram', you will be put behind bars," he added.
"Didi has thrown people into jail for chanting 'Jai Shri Ram'. I thought of greeting her with the chant so she can throw me behind bars, too. I will then serve the innocent people who are in jail for chanting in praise of Lord Ram," Modi said challenging Banerjee to have him arrested.
Addressing an election rally in Bishnupur, Banerjee snapped back at him, insisting 'Jai Shri Ram' was a slogan of the BJP, which used just during elections.
"Does Ramchandra become BJP's election agent when polls come?" she asked, asserting the slogans of the people of Bengal were "Vande mataram" of Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay and "Jai Hind" of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.
Modi also took on CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury referring to his recent comments on epics Ramayana and Mahabharata, Modi said that it is fashionable for communists to abuse religion.
"I can understand if communists abuse religion. Even those who have Sita and Ram in their names don't respect religion. It is fashionable for them to make derogatory references to our holy books and our religion," Modi said targeting CPI(M) general secretary.
Yechury had recently said Ramayana and Mahabharata were specimens of Hindu violence.
On the UN designating terror group JeM chief Masood Azhar a "global terrorist", the prime minister said, "Banerjee did not welcome the development fearing her "vote bank" will
get angry with her."
Modi claimed the TMC would win hardly 10 of the state's 42 Lok Sabha seats, and Banerjee's dream of becoming the prime minister with the help of 'Mahamilawati' alliance will be dashed.
"Your model of threat and intimidation will no longer work in Bengal. You cannot snatch away the right to vote freely and fairly. Your political ground is fast slipping away." he said.
Modi said West Bengal under Banerjee was known for "triple T -- Trinamool, Tolabaazi, Tax". In local parlance, 'tolabaazi' roughly means organised extortion.
Mentioning that the state has already seen three political ideologies: 'Naampanthi' (people who rule by using the name of the family) - Congress, 'Vaampanthi' - Leftist, 'Daam aur Damanpanthi' (people who rule through corruption and oppression) - TMC, Modi said the time has come for the state to adopt 'Vikaspanthi' (people wedded to the ideology of development) representing BJP.
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