KOLKATA: Prime Minister Narendra Modi stepped up his attack on the Trinamool Congress party, claiming at rallies across Bengal that “mothers and sisters” would punish the Congress party for blocking the passage of the women’s reservation bill and urging voters to impose “big punishment” on what he called “maha-jungleraj”, reports Rohit Khanna. On Sunday, Modi held four rallies in six hours – Bankura’s Barjora, Purulia, Jhargram and Midnapore – ahead of the April 23 Assembly polls, accusing the TMC and Congress of “conspiring” against women. “Women’s welfare is Modi’s guarantee,” he said, claiming that the TMC was “maa virodhi (anti-mother)”.Trinamool has cheated the daughters of Bengal who want 33% reservation from 2029. Modi is trying to achieve this goal. If women enter the legislative body in large numbers, they will speak out for their rights. The TMC believes that women MLAs from villages and districts will hold them accountable for their misdeeds,” the Prime Minister said, adding that the party was “in connivance with the Congress” to block the amendment. A brief stop at a Jhalmuri shop in Jhargram during the campaign attracted attention online as the party pushes for last-mile voter contact. Outlining the welfare promises, Modi said pregnant women will receive Rs 21,000, Rs 5,000 after delivery, free cervical cancer vaccination and medicines can be purchased at deep discounts through Jan Aushadhi stores.ALSO READ | ‘Do you eat onions?’ PM Modi takes ‘break’ during Bengal polls – Watch He also talked about providing annual support of Rs 36,000 to women, free treatment up to Rs 5 lakh and dialysis in government hospitals. Modi accused the Trinamool of seeking reservations based on religion. “Muslims are being included in the reservation of other backward classes. This is against the constitution,” he said. He also warned of “infiltration”, saying Bangladesh risked losing its identity. “The Trinamool’s agenda is dangerous. It wants to create a government of infiltrators which will protect the religion and language of the infiltrators,” he said. Targeting the party’s tribal outreach, he claimed that the party was emulating “the tactics adopted by Nehru to defeat Babasaheb Ambedkar”. The Prime Minister said: “BJP has nominated the country’s first tribal woman president. Trinamool has put forward a candidate against her. They played a game to prevent a tribal woman from becoming president. ” He claimed that tribal areas were left behind under Trinamool rule and their lands were encroached upon by “syndicates”.
