At Bengal Rally, PM Modi's 'Nirmam' Attack On Mamata Banerjee

Launching a blistering attack on the Trinamool Congress government in West Bengal, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said the state is "plagued" by violence, corruption and lawlessness, and asserted that people are now yearning for change from the "nirmam sarkar" (cruel government).

Addressing a rally in Alipurduar, PM Modi said incidents of communal violence in Murshidabad and Malda are grim reminders of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) regime's "cruelty and indifference" to the sufferings of ordinary citizens.

"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 they don't want cruelty and corruption anymore," PM Modi said.

"First is the 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," the PM said.

PM Modi said the third crisis in Bengal is the deepening despair among the youth, driven by rising unemployment and lack of opportunities, while the fourth is the "pervasive corruption" that is eroding public trust in the system.

"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.

Turning his guns on the government over the West Bengal teacher recruitment scam, PM Modi accused the TMC of "ruining the future of thousands of teachers and their families" through rampant corruption and irregularities.

"This is not just the destruction 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," he said.

He added that the youth, poor, and middle-class families of Bengal are bearing the brunt of this corruption and said the people of the state have now lost faith in the TMC government.

The PM also expressed disappointment over the West Bengal government's absence from the recent Niti Aayog meeting, accusing the TMC of being more interested in politics than development.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)