As different political parties gear up for the second phase of the West Bengal Assembly polls, Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee has challenged leaders coming from Delhi to Bengal to speak in Bengali language for 2 minutes. Banerjee was addressing a gathering in Alipurduar ahead of the elections of second phase.
In his address, he said, "Many leaders are coming to Bengal from Delhi for the election campaign. I challenge them to speak for only 2 minutes in Bengali. I challenge them." He also said, "I am ready to speak in Hindi in any part of the country."
Further he also launched a scathing attack on the Central government saying that "West Bengal sends Rs 75,000 crores to the government. But when they send Rs 1,000 crores for Amphan relief, BJP leaders say it has been sent by Modi Ji." He further saiid, "this is our money, not of fathers of BJP leaders."
The Bharatiya Janta Party has been rigorously campaiging in the state of Bengal by deploying its eminent leaders - Yogi Adityanath, JP Nadda, Nitin Gadkari, newly joined Mithun Chakraborty and also prime minister Narendra Modi.
Meanwhile, accusing West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of issuing threats to its supporters in her rallies, BJP has registered a complaint with the Election Commission over comments made by her. In its letter to the poll panel, BJP on Tuesday alleged, despite "pro-active" role of the commission, "large- scale violence" has been reported during past several days due to such utterances by the Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief.
To back up its claim, the letter mentioned a widely circulated video of a meeting addressed by Banerjee at Nandigram on March 29.
"In the meeting she said the central paramilitary forces will go one day, but she will stay in Bengal. Who will then save her rivals," the letter quoted Banerjee as saying. Raising objection to the TMC supremo's remarks, the letter signed by BJP leaders Shishir Bajoria, Arjun Singh and Pratap Banerjee said, "Such statements are threat to free, fair and peaceful elections ... and have been brought to the notice of the commission."
