Women and Matuas suffered under Mamata regime: Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday sharpened his attack on the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) in West Bengal, alleging that under chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s 15-year tenure, women and the Dalit Matua community had to suffer the most.

- Tanmay Chatterjee

His remarks came on the penultimate day of campaigning for the second and final phase of the West Bengal assembly elections, in which the remaining 142 constituencies will vote on April 29.

Modi addressed the Dalit Matua community for the first time this election season, weeks after hundreds of members from the community were delisted from the electoral rolls during the special intensive revision (SIR) exercise.

“I can see the maximum enthusiasm among the women present here because they suffered the most during the 15-year TMC regime. The record turnout in the first-phase polling has crushed the TMC's pride. The second phase will ensure a BJP government. Bengal needs a vote from each of you,” Modi said at a poll rally at North 24 Parganas district's Thakurnagar, the headquarters of the All India Matua Mahasangha, the apex body of the community.

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 opportunities elsewhere,” he added.

He also reiterated the poll promises made by the BJP to the people of the eastern state.