Prime Minister Narendra Modi sharply criticised the TMC in West Bengal, promising to protect women and grant citizenship to refugees through the Citizenship Amendment Act.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday accused the TMC of "sheltering goons who torture women", and said the BJP giving poll tickets to Sandeshkhali's Rekha Patra and the mother of the R G Kar victim is proof of the party's commitment to ensuring women's security.
Speaking at the Matua community citadel of Thakurnagar at Bongaon in North 24 Parganas district, Modi also said all refugees who took shelter in India following religious persecution in the neighbouring nation will be granted citizenship through procedures outlined under the Citizenship Amendment Act.
The BJP has fielded Patra from Hingalganj, and Ratna Debnath â the mother of the RG Kar hospital doctor who was raped and murdered, from Panihati â in the assembly elections.
Sandeshkhali hogged the national limelight in 2024, after allegations of sexual abuse of women by local TMC leaders came to the fore. The RG Kar hospital incident also took place that year.
The BJP's "commitment to the security of Bengal's women has been reflected" in its decision to give poll tickets to Rekha Patra and Ratna Debnath, Modi said.
"I pledge before the brothers and sisters of the Matua Namasudra community members that they will receive citizenship through the Citizenship Amendment Act. They will be provided the same documents which other citizens of this country have," he said.
"Don't fall for TMC's lies on CAA. All refugees will receive permanent address in this country," he added.
The Matua community is a largely Hindu Namasudra Scheduled Caste group in Bengal, originating from East Pakistan (now Bangladesh), who migrated to the state facing religious persecution. They have significant presence in multiple districts across West Bengal and are believed to hold sway in around 70 assembly seats.
The recent SIR exercise allegedly resulted in significant number of voter deletions from the community, leading to perceptible angst among its members with regard to their citizenship status.
The PM, referring to the record turnout of over 93 per cent in the first phase of polls, said, "The TMC's arrogance was shattered in the first round, and the second phase will cement BJP's victory in the state."
The TMC has "stopped talking" about 'Ma Mati Manush', the party's slogan when it assumed power 15 years ago, because doing so "will expose the sins they committed in Bengal", Modi alleged.
"While Ma (mother) is now in tears, Mati (land) has been handed over to syndicates and infiltrators and Manush (people) have been forced to leave the state in search of job opportunities elsewhere," he said.
Modi also alleged that even the smallest of politicians as well as goons consider themselves the government under the Trinamool Congress regime in Bengal.
"The TMC's 'nirmam sarkar' (cruel government) stands with goons who torture women of this state. The time has now come to say we will tolerate no more," he said.
"Miscreants who rape and torture women will be brought to justice after May 4 (day of the assembly poll results) by the new BJP government of Bengal," the PM asserted.
Modi accused the Mamata Banerjee dispensation of gross inaction in cases involving trafficking of women from the state, and stated that the BJP government would stand for women's empowerment every step of their way.
The Prime Minister also alluded to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's iconic pre-Independence slogan of 'Give me blood and I will give you freedom', to urge the people to vote for the BJP, "⦠and I will grant you freedom from TMC's 'maha jungleraj'".
"That freedom would include liberty from TMC's fear psychosis, corruption, crimes against women, unemployment, infiltrators, rioters and criminals," Modi said.
In the Bangladesh-bordering region of Bongaon, he also warned all infiltrators, "who illegally sneaked in with false documents", to leave the country before April 29, the date for the last phase of polls, else "they will be thrown out after May 4" when the results are published.
"No TMC leader will be able to save these unauthorised inhabitants," Modi asserted.
Making a mention of the spectator violence at Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium during the Lionel Messi football event in December last year, the PM said that the fiasco was a reflection of "the TMC's maha jungleraj" in the state.
The first phase of elections to the 294-member West Bengal assembly was held on April 23, while the second phase will take place on April 29. Votes will be counted on May 4.