Prime Minister Narendra Modi sharpened his attack on the Trinamool Congress (TMC) in West Bengal, alleging that under Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's 15-year tenure, women and the Dalit Matua community suffered the most.
Addressing a poll rally at North 24 Parganas district's Thakurnagar, the headquarters of the All India Matua Mahasangha, Modi said the TMC has 'stopped talking' about 'Ma Mati Manush', the party's slogan when it assumed power 15 years ago.
'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.
Modi also reiterated the poll promises made by the BJP to the people of the eastern state, including free rice, clean potable water, and ₹80,000 for setting up a solar power plant at home.
The Matuas, a part of the large Dalit Namasudra community, came as refugees from Bangladesh (then East Pakistan) after partition in 1947 and the creation of Bangladesh in 1971.
Modi said, 'Jan Sangh founder Dr Shyama Prasad Mookerjee was the spokesperson of all these refugees. BJP carries that heritage and that's why CAA was introduced. Matua Namasudras and all other refugees will get citizenship, permanent address and all documents that other citizens get.'
He also addressed a rally at Haripal in Hooghly district and offered prayers at Matua Thakur Temple in Thakurnagar.
