Paschim Medinipur/Purulia: During the West Bengal elections, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath campaigned on Monday in the scorching heat, seeking votes for BJP candidates.
At public meetings held in Pingla, Joypur, and Garbeta assembly constituencies, he said, “In Bengal, youth are troubled, farmers are disappointed, and industries are collapsing, but the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) government is only focused on appeasement. Sand, coal, land, and cattle mafias are draining Bengal, but Mamata Banerjee is only irritated by the slogan ‘Jai Shri Ram.’ She does not allow Durga Puja to be celebrated freely and restricts the idol immersion processions. Disturbances happen before festivals, and processions are attacked with stones. Mamata Didi says ‘Khela Hobe’, but now TMC’s game is over.”
Thousands gathered at the rallies just to hear and catch a glimpse of the Chief Minister.
In Pingla, CM Yogi said that ‘Pingla’ signifies saffron, and due to its saffron soil, the region represents a spiritual tradition. The fertile land here has produced gold through farmers’ hard work and feeds the nation.
He said that for the first time, a tribal woman has become President, referring to Droupadi Murmu. He added, “Congress, TMC, and the INDI alliance ruled for over 60 years but never worked for the upliftment of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. They insulted B. R. Ambedkar and even violated presidential protocol in Bengal.”
He stated that the behavior exhibited toward President Droupadi Murmu was also observed in Parliament from the TMC, Congress, DMK, and SP. Prime Minister Narendra Modi wanted to implement the Women’s Reservation Bill by 2029, but these parties blocked it. He added that insulting women, youth, farmers, and the poor has become their nature, and people will not accept such corrupt governance.
CM Yogi said, “Barrackpore sparked the first war of independence. The national song and anthem originated from this land.”
The CM mentioned great personalities like Rabindranath Tagore, Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, Swami Vivekananda, Subhas Chandra Bose, and Syama Prasad Mukherjee, saying Bengal has always led the nation and should now be freed from TMC’s disorder. He also alleged that Congress insulted Subhas Chandra Bose despite his leadership victory.
Seeking votes for BJP candidates, he said, “Bengal was once known as India’s golden land with fertile soil, industries, talented youth, hardworking farmers, and strong cultural leadership by women. But Congress, Left parties, and TMC have ruined it. In 15 years, over 7,000 large industries and 18,000 MSME units shut down, leaving more than 3 million youth unemployed. Production of potatoes, rice, and fish has declined, and farmers are not getting fair prices.”
The Chief Minister said, “Before 2017, Uttar Pradesh was in the same condition. Farmers and youth were all disheartened. Women and girls were unsafe. Disturbances used to occur before festivals, and people were beaten or even shot for chanting ‘Jai Shri Ram.’ But now, in Uttar Pradesh, with a population of 250 million, prayers are no longer offered on roads. Tribal communities now have housing and land. Forest dwellers, Scheduled Castes, and the poor are receiving rations, housing, land, and pensions without discrimination. They are also getting cooking gas connections under the Ujjwala scheme and health security under Ayushman Bharat.”
He added, “There is no discrimination based on caste, faith, sect, or language in Uttar Pradesh. Come to UP and see the model of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’. Roads in UP are now so smooth that even water in a cup held in your hand would not spill. UP has become a state of highways and expressways, the state with the highest number of airports, and the state generating the most employment. Only a BJP government can deal with rioters, cow slaughterers, those who grab the property of tribal communities, and those who commit atrocities against the Scheduled Castes. In UP, cow slaughter, ‘love jihad,’ and ‘land jihad’ cannot happen. If mafia or criminals attempt such acts, bulldozers will crush them completely.”
CM Yogi alleged that the TMC government is obstructing fencing along the Bangladesh border and, due to appeasement, cannot control cow slaughter, smuggling, or mafia activities.
He claimed that the TMC rule for 15 years has led to lawlessness, goondaism, and corruption, and only a BJP government can end it.
In Joypur (Purulia), CM Yogi appealed for votes for BJP candidate Vishwajit Mahato, highlighting Bengal’s rich traditions like pottery of the Kumhar-Prajapati community, Chhau dance, and tribal culture. He repeated that “Khela Hobe” is over and now development will begin with a “double-engine” BJP government.
In Garbeta, while campaigning for BJP candidate Pradeep Lodha, CM Yogi urged youth, farmers, and women to free Bengal from the chaos created by Congress, Communists, and TMC.
Huge crowds gathered, people stood on walls, vehicles, and rooftops just to see him, while chants of ‘Yogi-Yogi’ echoed throughout the rally.
