Modi talked about ‘18 Asansol riots to provoke voters: Didi

Asansol/Tapan/Ratua, April 22: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi reminded people of 2018 Asansol riots during his rally last week to “provoke” voters amid the ongoing elections, and asserted that it was “unbecoming” of someone of his stature. The TMC boss, who addressed three rallies during the day, said it was a “matter of shame” that the PM, with his “provocative” remarks, tried to influence people.

“You, members of different communities, are living in harmony. The other day, however, the Prime Minister visited Asansol and made many objectionable comments... he brought up the issue of riots and made provocative statements. This doesn’t befit a PM, or a home minister,” she said.

Mr Modi, during his address, had referred to

You, members of different communities, are living in harmony. The other day, however, the Prime Minister visited Asansol and made many objectionable comments... he brought up the issue of riots and made provocative statements. This doesn't befit a PM, or a home minister.

— Mamata Banerjee,

the Asansol riots in 2018 on the occasion of Ram Navami, and indirectly blamed the TMC dispensation for the violence.

Reminiscing that an imam of a local mosque, who lost his son in the riots, had said he didn’t want any more bloodshed or death, the TMC supremo said, “The imam’s words stand in contrast to what our PM says.

“Even as people of different communities live here in peace, the PM rakes up the issue of riots.”

Claiming that she “has come to know that a photo of poet Kazi Nazrul Islam was removed from the podium, minutes before the PM began his public meeting in Asansol”, the CM said the media should be able to verify the same.

“Kavi Nazrul Islam is the national poet of Bangladesh but he was born in Bengal, in Churulia village. We have named a university and the Andal airport after him. He is our pride,” she stated.

Earlier in the day, Ms Banerjee, during her rally in Tapan area of Dakshin Dinajpur district, slammed the BJP-led Centre over differential pricing of Covid19 vaccines. —