‘Nirmam Sarkar’: Modi targets Mamata over Bengal violence, jobs scam

“Today, West Bengal is grappling with a series of crises. People don’t want ‘nirmam sarkar’. They want change and good governance. That is why the whole of Bengal is saying that they don’t want cruelty and corruption anymore,” he said, coining the slogan, “Banglar matir chitkar, chai na aar nirmam sarkar (the soil of Bengal cries out, we do not want this ruthless government)”.

This was the PM’s first visit to the state since violent clashes took place in parts of Murshidabad district, including Samserganj, Suti and Dhulian, in April following protests against the Waqf (Amendment) Act. Three people were killed, and several others were injured and displaced in the violence.

Modi listed “five major crises plaguing Bengal” under TMC rule. “The first one is widespread violence and lawlessness that are tearing apart the fabric of society. Second is the growing sense of insecurity among mothers and sisters, compounded by horrific crimes committed against them,” he said. The third crisis, according to the PM, is “despair among the youth” due to unemployment and lack of job opportunities, while the fourth is “corruption that destroyed the system and eroded public trust” in the state government.

“The fifth crisis stems from the self-serving politics of the ruling party, which is stripping the poor of their rightful entitlements. Incidents in Murshidabad and Malda are stark examples of the cruelty of the TMC government and its failure to maintain law and order,” he said.

Targeting the Mamata Banerjee government over the school jobs scam case in which the Supreme Court has upheld a Calcutta High Court order terminating 25,753 appointments, Modi said, “This is not just the destruction of the lives of a few thousand teachers, but the entire education system is deteriorating. Even now, the TMC refuses to admit its mistakes. Instead, they are blaming the courts and the judicial system. TMC scammers have pushed hundreds of sons and daughters of poor families into darkness.”

He expressed disappointment with the West Bengal government’s absence from the recent meeting of the NITI Aayog’s governing council in Delhi. “It is unfortunate that the Bengal government chose not to participate in such an important meeting. It shows their lack of seriousness towards development, and they are more interested in indulging in politics,” he said.

He accused the state government of obstructing Central government schemes, claiming that of the 4,000 km of rural roads sanctioned under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana in West Bengal, less than 400 km had been constructed so far.

He also targeted the TMC government for allegedly ignoring the needs of tribal communities in the Alipurduar region. “To uplift tribal families, the Central government launched the PM Janman Scheme, focusing on education, healthcare, housing, and livelihood. But sadly, the TMC government has not implemented this scheme in the state,” he said.

Referring to the military actions to dismantle terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan, Modi said Operation Sindoor was far from over and India would continue to exact a heavy price from those who continue to sponsor terrorism. Pakistan, he said, had already been hit thrice on its soil.

“Now that I am standing on the sacred land of ‘sindoor khela’ (a tradition Bengali women follow on the last day of Durga Puja), it is only right that we speak about a new resolve against terrorism: Operation Sindoor … From the land of Bengal, I, on behalf of 140 crore Indians, declare that Operation Sindoor is not over yet,” he said.