"We Are Ready": Mamata Banerjee's 'Poll Battle' Dare For PM After Criticism

Ramping up the political temperature with less than a year to go for the Assembly elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a rally in West Bengal's Alipurduar and launched a scathing attack on the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress government, calling it 'nirmam' (cruel) and corrupt, and claiming that the people of the state are crying out for change.

Taking the PM's attack head-on, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee termed his remarks shocking and said she did not expect him to be speaking like this when all-party delegations are visiting countries around the world to project unity and convey India's message of zero tolerance for terrorism in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor. Ms Banerjee also threw down a challenge, daring the Prime Minister to hold the Bengal Assembly elections tomorrow, claiming that the people of the state are behind her and her party.

Speaking at the Alipurduar rally on Thursday, PM Modi said the communal violence in Murshidabad and Malda during the protests against the Waqf Act were a grim reminder of the Trinamool Congress' "indifference" to the suffering of the people in the state.

Bengal, the PM said, was dogged by several crises simultaneously.

"We have a crisis of violence and anarchy spreading in society. The second crisis is the safety of our mothers and sisters, who are being subjected to heinous crimes. The third is the extreme despair and rampant unemployment spreading among the youth. The fourth crisis is the continuously declining trust in the system, and the fifth is the selfish politics of the ruling party, which steals the rights of the poor," he said.

Training his guns on the state government over the teacher recruitment scam, which led to over 25,000 teachers losing their jobs, the Prime Minister said the future of thousands of families has been destroyed.

"The teacher recruitment scam is an example of corruption ruining everything. The TMC government destroyed the future and families of thousands of teachers, and left their children helpless. The absence of teachers has put the futures of lakhs of students at risk... The education system of the state West Bengal is being ruined.. The TMC leaders have committed a huge sin... but these people are not ready to accept their mistake even now. They are blaming the courts instead," he said.

On the violence during the Waqf Act protests, the PM said nothing gets resolved in Bengal until the courts intervene.

"Whatever happened in Murshidabad and Malda was an example of the state government's ruthlessness... In the name of appeasement, hooliganism was given a free hand. Imagine the horrific situation when the people of a party running the government identify and burn people's houses, and the police remain mere spectators. I ask the poor people of Bengal, is this how a government runs? Here, the courts have to intervene in every issue. Otherwise, nothing gets resolved.

"The people of Bengal do not trust the TMC government anymore... 'Bengal mein machi cheekh pukaar, nahi chahiye nirmam sarkar' (the people of Bengal are crying out, saying they do not want this cruel government)," he added.

Praising the forces for Operation Sindoor, PM Modi said terrorists were shown the power of vermilion.

"Terrorists wiped our sisters' sindoor. Our Army made them realise the power of sindoor... We wiped out terror infrastructure and hit targets that Pakistan didn't even imagine... Pakistan has nothing positive to offer to the world. Since its inception, it has only housed terrorists," the Prime Minister said.

'Politicising Operation Sindoor'

Hitting back, Chief Minister Banerjee called the Prime Minister's remarks shocking and accused him and the BJP of politicising Operation Sindoor at a time when all-party delegations are sharing India's point of view with the world. Senior Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee is part of one such delegation.

"I don't want to comment on Operation Sindoor. But every woman should be given respect... If your heart is so clean, why have the terrorists (behind the attack in Pahalgam) not been caught so far?" she said.

Claiming that her government is a humane one and the policies of the BJP are divisive, Ms Banerjee alleged that the ruling party at the Centre fuels riots. "The Malda and Murshidabad riots occurred because of the BJP," the Trinamool Congress chief claimed.

Throwing down the gauntlet to Prime Minister Modi and the BJP, Ms Banerjee dared them to hold elections in Bengal tomorrow.

"I challenge them... If they have the courage, go for elections tomorrow. We are ready and Bengal is ready... The people of Bengal are with us. Please remember, timing is a factor," she said.

(With inputs from ANI)