'Turned country into jail': Mamata slams PM, questions arrest of Kejriwal

West Bengal Chief Minister slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing him of turning the country and democracy into a jail

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for allegedly threatening action against Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders after June 4 and said that the Prime Minister had turned the entire country into a jail.

Addressing a public meeting in West Bengal's Bankura district, Mamata said, "The Prime Minister was in Jalpaiguri yesterday. I respect his chair but does it suit a PM to use such language saying that '4 June ke baad, sabko chun chun ke jail me bharunga [After June 4, everyone will be jailed one by one]'. In reality, you have turned the country and democracy into a jail."

"In one pocket you have the Enforcement Directorate [ED] and Central Bureau of Investigation [CBI] while in the other you have the National Investigation Agency [NIA] and Income Tax. They [central agencies] are your brothers who arrange your funding, and later you threaten us. It does not befit a Prime Minister to issue such threats. But we are not scared," she added.

During an election rally on Sunday, PM Modi announced that the actions of central agencies against corrupt leaders would be expedited after June 4, alluding to the counting day of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

In a direct attack against PM Modi, Mamata slammed the Centre's decision to detain Chief Ministers Hemant Soren and Arvind Kejriwal. "Whom are you trying to intimidate? If five of our workers or polling agents are arrested, their wives will take their place. We are not afraid of the agencies. Why was a tribal leader and Chief Minister Hemant Soren arrested? I spoke with his wife yesterday," she asked.

"Why was Arvind Kejriwal arrested? Despite being in jail, he continues to work. However, this will not affect his chances in the next election; in fact, he is likely to win with a larger margin," the Bengal chief minister said.

Turning her attention to the NIA raids in Bhupatinagar on Saturday, she said, "Sending agencies to harass women in the area at midnight, and then claiming that these women attacked the NIA personnel is a state subject. Law and order is a state subject. Not informing the local police and attacking women at 3 am, only to inform the local police at 5 am, is unjustifiable. Such actions cannot be tolerated."

"Try these antics and roaring speeches to boost the morale of your party cadres as it might act as oxygen there. But for democracy and the country, these things act like carbon dioxide," Mamata said.

She further rebuked the Prime Minister Modi for his silence in providing relief to the people affected by a recent storm in Jalpaiguri. "While the Prime Minister convened a meeting in Jalpaiguri yesterday, I hold no objection to his choice of venue. However, his failure to address the plight of those in Jalpaiguri who lost loved ones or suffered property damage in the severe storm is deeply concerning," she added.