“Mamata ji became the Chief Minister of Bengal by using slogans of Maa, Maati, Manush. And now the slogan has changed to Mullah, Madrasa, and Mafia in the pursuit of appeasement. Mullahs have been given full freedom, Madrasas are given our wealth and the mafia are openly allowed to loot the poor population. Mamata Banerjee ji, these things won’t work in the future.”
Union home minister Amit Shah on May 10 delivered an election speech in Birbhum, West Bengal, where he indulged in communally divisive rhetoric consistently used by BJP leaders in their campaign speeches and referred to Muslims with the denigrating term ‘Mullahs’. He also alleged that the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government in the state led by Mamata Banerjee had given full freedom to ‘Mullahs’. The vilification of Muslims in BJP’s campaign has been spearheaded by Prime Minister Narendra Modi who referred to the community as ‘ghuspethiyo’ (infiltrators) and ‘jinke zyada bachche hain’ (those who produce more children) in Banswara. In the Birbhum speech, Amit Shah, too, treaded that path and claimed that parties like TMC had ‘allowed infiltration’ for Muslim appeasement. He also stated that TMC and Congress leaders had not attended the consecration ceremony of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya due to vote-bank politics.
5:23- “In Gujarat, there is a saying that if there is even one river in the district then the area becomes prosperous. Birbhum has 19 rivers, but look at the situation today. Because of the torturous reign of the communists and the TMC, these rivers have become the den of corruption. TMC’s syndicate that indulges in the smuggling of stones, coal, and animals is led by the nephew of Mamata Banerjee. I want to promise one thing to all of you, if you give 30 seats to BJP in Bengal then all of these syndicates will be put behind bars by us. Mamata didi, you should also understand that the syndicates will not help you get votes. A Bhagwa storm is going to blow in the red soil (of Birbhum). On June 4, Bengal’s 30 lotuses will go into Modiji’s jhola.”
7:05- “Birbhum is Mamata Didi’s birthplace. I want to ask her, you have been the chief minister for 15 years, why hasn’t any industrial project come to your district? Why are people having to go outside for jobs? Why don’t people have access to drinking water? Why don’t people have pure drinking water even though there are so many rivers in the area? In Birbhum, medical treatment is also not easily accessible. Despite having a Shaktipeeth and these five Mahadev shrines, there is no trace of tourism. Illegal sand mining and trade have become rampant.”
8:15- “If Suvendu da wins Birbhum and 30 seats then he will take the effort to finish all these tasks. TMC means Trushtikaran (appeasement), Mafia and Corruption. Tell me, should these ghuspeth (infiltrators) be stopped? And the refugees who have come to our religious community, should they be granted citizenship or not?” Mamata Didi welcomes these ghuspethiyo (infiltrators) with red carpets because they are your vote banks. But Hindus, Buddhists and Sikh refugees who have come, you oppose their citizenship. I want to tell Mamata didi that the sea of people in front of me is going to hold you accountable.”
9:39- “Mamata ji became the chief minister of Bengal by using slogans of Maa, Maati, Manush. And now the slogan has changed to Mullah, Madrasa, and Mafia in the pursuit of appeasement. Mullahs have been given full freedom, Madrasas are given our wealth and the mafia are openly allowed to loot the poor population. Mamata Banerjee ji, these things won’t work in the future.”
10:21- “Do you know Anubrata Mondal? Don’t worry he is in jail. Do you know him or not? He has opened up all the illegal businesses. He was found to be embroiled in cow smuggling and today he is in Tihar Jail. Today, I am here to tell you that the cut money that they make, and the syndicates that they run, rectify yourself, there is still time. We will work on straightening out those involved in ‘cut money’ and running syndicates by turning them upside down.”
11:18- “I want to ask you: Should corruption be stopped in Bengal? The ones supposed to provide jobs to the poor youth are found with 51 crore rupees in their homes. Rs 350 crore are found at the Congress MP’s house, and the Jharkhand minister’s PA has 30 crore rupees. Have any of you seen 300 crore rupees? Whose money is it? It is not the minister’s money, It is not Partha Chatterjee’s money. It is the money of Bengal’s poor sisters and Bengal’s youth who have been looted with Mamata di’s blessings. We did not send ED or CBI, the high court has. If 50 crores of 350 crores are found at anyone’s home, then the Modi sarkar will make sure to put all the corrupt ministers in jail.”
13:10- “You have let the communists reign for a long time, you have the TMC rule… these 5 years give BJP your votes. Let the 30 lotuses bloom and these cut money and syndicate people will run away, I promise you. In Birbhum, bombs are used to spread fear. But don’t fear the bombs; we’ve deployed central forces. Vote with strength, Mamata Didi’s goons won’t even lay a finger on you.”
14:10- “I want to ask you.. should the Ram Mandir have been constructed? for 70 years, the Congress and the TMC had obstructed the construction of the Ram Mandir. You made Modiji the Prime Minister for the second time, and in five years Modiji won a case, did Bhoomipujan and after the consecration, victory to Lord Rama has been declared. Invitations were sent to Congress party Shehzada Rahul baba, his mother, Kharge Saheb, Mamata Didi, and Abhishek Banerjee for the ceremony. But they did not go because they were scared for their vote bank. Do you know who their vote banks are? You aren’t. Their vote banks are the ones who are infiltrating and spreading terror. but I am here to tell you that we are not scared of their vote bank. Modi has hit the bull’s eye with the Ram Mandir consecration and stopped terrorism by abolishing section 370 in Kashmir.”
16:00- “Modiji has freed the country from the grips of Naxalism and terrorism. and today so many sisters are here. I want to talk to you about the shameful Sandeshkhali incident. Mamata Banerjee is a woman chief minister. For so many years, her party worker has been torturing the poor mothers of Sandeshkhali right under her nose. For appeasement politics, Mamata Banerjee did not stop him. Tell me, shouldn’t the sisters of Sandeshkhali get justice? When the accused was caught he said the CBI was doing fraudulent work. Mamata ji you had the chance, you did not catch him for votebank politics. The HC had to order, the HC ordered CBI, and after the CBI raid, many arms were found. For vote bank politics, these people have let mothers and sisters be abused based on religion for years. You have to fight back this time with your vote.”
Shah ended his speech by asking four questions to his supporters: “Do you want to transform Bengal? Do we want to turn the Bengal of bomb blasts into the golden Bengal? Do you want to stop the ghuspeth? Do you want the refugees to get citizenship? Do you want the cut money and syndicate ones to go to jail? That’s why, in addition to 400 seats, Bengal also needs 30 lotuses to bloom.” Finally, he urged his supporters to raise their hands and chant slogans of “Bharat Mata ki Jai” and “Jai Sri Ram.”
This article was originally published on AltNews.
