Your slap a blessing, but can you slap extortionists? Modi to Mamata

Ridiculing West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for wanting to give him "a tight slap of democracy", Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said her slap will be a "blessing" to him but asked whether she also had the courage to slap those who looted poor people in the state in the name of chit funds.

"I am told that 'Didi' said she wanted to slap Modi. Mamata Didi I address you as Didi, so if you slap me it will become a blessing for me and I am ready to accept it.

"But I will also say, had you shown the courage to slap those friends who looted poor people in the name of chit funds, you wouldn't be so scared," Modi told an election rally in Purulia.

"Also, had you shown the strength to slap the 'Tolabaaz' (extortionists), then the stain of Triple T (Trinamool Tolabaazi Tax) wouldn't have spoiled your name," he said.

Addressing rallies in West Midnapore and Purulia districts on Wednesday, Banerjee had said that she felt like giving Modi "one tight slap of democracy" when he accused her party - Trinamool Congress - of being extortionists.

She continued her attack on Modi saying: "He is such a liar, he is setting a bad example for the country's children."

However, the Prime Minister said the Trinamool supremo was "simply afraid" of losing power and was in a state of frenzy.

"She talks of stones and slaps for me... I am used to abusive language and have inculcated a power to digest all the slang present in dictionaries around the world. But Didi is now in a frenzied condition. Didi is even insulting the Constitution," Modi said in Bankura earlier in the day.

The "infiltrators" who comprise the cadres of the Trinamool and harass women would be identified, he said.

Clarifying her comments regarding a "tight slap of democracy', Banerjee on Thursday claimed that Modi did not understand what she had meant to say.

"I talked about slap of democracy. You must understand the language. Why would I give you a slap? I am not a person to slap anyone and do not believe in this. I understand democracy. Slap of democracy means people will vote (against you)," Banerjee said at another rally.

She further said, "We will offer you sweets made of soil and stones. You have been labelling false charges against our leaders in the name of Saradha (chit fund scam) and Narada (sting case) and could not prove the allegations."

But Modi continued his attack on Banerjee, saying: "Didi collected votes in the name of 'Maa Mati Maanush' but today the condition of the state is such that Maa (Mothers) are worried about security of their children and they even are crying."

"You spoke about Mati (soil) but it has now turned red with the blood of innocent people and Maanush (people) are forced to live under the shadow of fear," he said.

Ridiculing the allegations by Modi, Banerjee asked, "Does he know about soil of Bankura and Purulia? He does not even know people who are highly educated."

Speaking on the poll violence in the state, Modi said: "Here people have to think before casting their votes and political workers are killed for campaigning. People are even threatened with jail for chanting 'Jai Shree Ram', 'Jai Ma Kali' and 'Jai Ma Durga'."

--IANS

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