TMC insulting Hindu faith to appease vote bank of infiltrators: Modi at Bengal rally

Medinipur (WB), May 19 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday accused the TMC of insulting the faith of Hindus to appease its vote bank and asserted that infiltrators are "perilous" to West Bengal since they are "disturbing" the demography of the state.

Addressing his third election rally in West Bengal during the day, the Prime Minister said, "Infiltrators, who are the vote bank of the TMC, is a threat to the state as in many areas, Hindus have become fewer in number." "In Bengal, TMC is synonymous with terrorism, corruption, appeasement and nepotism. To appease its vote bank, the TMC is insulting the Hindu society and its faith. The entire country is angry due to the recent derogatory statement made by West Bengal CM," he said at the Medinipur rally.

Modi was referring to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's recent remarks against Ramakrishna Mission and Bharat Sevashram Sangha.

The PM said that ongoing infiltration in West Bengal is "fast changing the demography" of the state.

"TMC's appeasement has disturbed Bengal's demography. Infiltration has disturbed the state's demography. The TMC calls people from other states 'outsiders'. However, it embraces infiltrators," he said.

He also said, "Infiltrators are perilous to Bengal since they are disturbing the state's demography. In many parts, Hindus have become a minority." Modi alleged, "Infiltrators are capturing the land of Dalits and the underprivileged. Our daughters and sisters are not safe anymore." The Prime Minister said in areas where infiltrators are in majority, "the TMC considers those as safe seats." "The TMC government kowtowing before its vote bank doesn't deserve your votes. Teach TMC a lesson in this election," he said.

Criticising the TMC for opposing the CAA in Bengal, Modi said, "Due to vote bank politics, they are opposing it." "The TMC welcomes infiltrators, but the West Bengal CM opposes the persecuted Hindus from neighbouring countries getting citizenship. I had promised to give citizenship to these refugee families. They are our brothers and sisters. However, TMC opposes the CAA, stating that they will not let it be implemented in Bengal and withdraw it," he said.

Reaching out to the Matua community of the state, who are expected to benefit most from the CAA, he said, "Till Modi is alive, you won't be able to do anything against the CAA. CAA is a law to accord citizenship." "The TMC is spreading lies, claiming that it will revoke citizenship as soon as the forms are filled," he said.

Earlier, while addressing an election rally at Bishnupur, Modi said, "The refugee families of West Bengal will also soon get their citizenship under the CAA." "I am happy that the first batch has received citizenship under the CAA," he said.

The first set of citizenship certificates under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act was issued Wednesday in New Delhi to 14 people, nearly two months after rules under the contentious law were notified to grant Indian nationality to persecuted non-Muslim migrants from three neighbouring countries.

This comes in the midst of the general elections which started on April 19. The last phase of polling will be held on June 1 while counting will take place on June 4.

The CAA was enacted in December 2019 for granting Indian nationality to persecuted Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Buddhist, Parsi and Christian migrants from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan who came to India on or before December 31, 2014.

After the enactment, the CAA got the president's assent but the rules under which the Indian citizenship was granted were issued on March 11 after over a delay of four years. PTI