india

Updated: Mar 01, 2020 18:15 IST

Home minister Amit Shah asked voters to handover Bengal to Narendra Modi for five years to realise the ‘Sonar Bangla’ dream and reeled off data to claim the state was sliding back under the incumbent Trinamool Congress party government led by Mamata Banerjee.

Shah launched an early poll campaign with a sixth month-long state-wide outreach by the BJP in Kolkata to end “injustice” under the Mamata Banerjee government.

“Dial 9727294294 to oust Mamata from Bengal,” Shah told the crowd.

“This number will give refugees the right to citizenship, it will also free you from corruption and terror, it will also recreate Sonar Bangla of Tagore’s dreams,” Shah said while launching the number for people to pledge support to the BJP’s campaign.

“I am here to give you the guarantee to put all those who do ‘tollbaazi’ (extortion), run syndicates and indulge in vote bank politics, behind the bars if you vote for a BJP government in the state,”

“We won’t spare anyone, we know how to straighten out elements, who trouble the common people,” he added.

Shah also accused the state government of misuse of central funds and claimed that despite a substantial increase in Central funds under the Narendra Modi government, the state had managed to nearly double its debts.

“There is a debt of Rs 3.75 lakh crore on Bengal. The Communist Govt had left at Rs 1.92 lakh crore, and Mamata Di has made it even bigger. Every kid of Bengal takes a debt of 40,000 as soon as he takes birth,’ Shah said.

Shah said the money given by the centre was going down the “corruption” hole.

“Rs 359,000 crore has been given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi but all this money has become fodder to corruption in Mamata Banerjee government,” he added.

Bengal is heading for the municipal elections in more than 100 civic bodies in April-May and the assembly elections are due next year. Shah said it was time for Bengal to give Narendra Modi a chance.

“If you give five years to Narendra Modi, we will turn Bengal into Sonar Bangla,” he told an applauding crowd.

Refugees from across the borders is an important political issue in Bengal and Shah said the central government was committed to the CAA, no matter, what the opposition including Mamata’s party said.

“These persecuted people have been living in their own country as outsiders for 70 years and we should give them citizenship. We will ensure we provide these people citizenship, no matter what you say or do (opposition),” Shah said.