Modi slams Mamata for rant against EC, alleges nexus on Narada

Ridiculing West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for her rant against the Election Commission (EC), Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday accused her of misusing the state machinery.

On his third round of electioneering for the state assembly polls, Modi alleged a nexus between the Left, the Congress and the Trinamool Congress in parliament to save "leaders of Didi's (elder sister, as Banerjee is affectionately called) party seen accepting money" in the footage released by the Narada news portal.

"In Bengal, the Left and the Congress are in alliance. In Kerala, they are taking on each other. But in Delhi, the Congress and the Left are together. The happenings in parliament over the past two years prove this," Modi said in Kolkata.

He said the Narada issue was handed to the Lok Sabha ethics committee as the BJP had majority there.

"But that did not happen in the Rajya Sabha, because we are not in majority there. Didi, Left and the Congress call the shots there."

"The issue was not handed over to the Rajya Sabha ethics committee to save those involved in the Narada scam.

"All these people are the same," said the prime minister.

Earlier, in Krishnanagar of Nadia district, Modi said the Trinamool was on the brink of defeat in the polls.

"On the brink of defeat, the Trinamool has lost its senses. Mamata and her party have accepted defeat and that is why she is not fighting with political parties, but rather with the EC," Modi said.

"Polls will come and go, but if these institutions are destroyed, the country will not be able to be run. The EC gave notice to you and it was your responsibility to put forth your stand, your views but instead you are saying, you will see the EC after May 19 (day of counting)," he said.

He was referring to Banerjee's April 14 outburst against the poll panel after getting a show-cause notice for violation of the model code of conduct.

Slamming Banerjee for "trying to destroy" an independent institution like the EC, Modi said: "The country runs on laws and rules and if you want disobey them, then clarify before the people whether you have faith in democracy or not, whether you have faith in the country's constitution or nor not."

Pointing to the allegations that the notice to Banerjee was replied to by the state chief secretary, Modi charged her with misusing the state machinery.

"I read somewhere that the reply to Banerjee's notice has been given by the chief secretary. If this is true, then this is the biggest flouting of poll rules. The EC notice was sent to the Trinamool chief and not the chef minister. It was the responsibility of Didi or her party or her party's lawyer to reply," he said.

"I don't know if he (chief secretary) has done that, I've heard on my way about it. But if it has happened, then it is blatant misuse of the government. Didi, Indira Gandhi lost her membership for six years for misusing the government," said Modi referring to the Allahabad High Court decision barring then prime minister Gandhi from holding elected office for six years in 1975.

He also attacked the Trinamool over corruption issues and ridiculed the Congress-Left Front tie-up.

Speaking at the Shahid Minar in Kolkata, Modi said the same set of people were involved in the Narada sting footage, the multi-billion-rupee Saradha scam and the collapse of the Vivekananda Road flyover in Kolkata.

Modi urged the people to punish those ruining the state.

"Punish them once, and every five years they will be accountable, and they will be forced to do some good work."

He said the Congress, Left and the Trinamool have made Kolkata "an old age home".

"Youths go elsewhere to earn their living. The old parents are left behind."

He said there was a time when people across India used to come to Kolkata. "Today, the situation is completely opposite.

"But there is a solution. Even as a sinking ship can be taken to the shore if the pilot has the calibre, development is the only solution".