Kolkata: Prime Minister Narendra Modi was in Kolkata, West Bengal today for his first roadshow there for the Lok Sabha Elections 2024. PM Modi spoke about Bengal politics, and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in an exclusive interview with R Bangla Senior Editor Mayukh Ranjan Ghosh. Excerpts from the interview.

PM Modi exposes Mamata's fears

Thousands gathered to catch a glimpse of PM Modi in Kolkata today, in spite of Section 144 being imposed so that his rally wouldn’t be successful. 

When being asked by the R Bangla Senior Editor as to why Mamata Banerjee was so scared of PM Modi, the Prime Minister said that Mamata is not scared of him but of herself. The people of Bengal are now convinced that she and her actions are doing a lot of damage to the people of Bengal and the new generation of the state. Mamata is looking for an escape plan, the PM said.

The PM said in Hindi, “Unko mujhse darr nahin hai. Woh swayam se darti hai. Unko lagta hai ke unhone jo jhoothi mayajaal khadi ki hui hai, woh gubbara phoot chuka hai. Bengal ki janta unke kukarmo ko bhali bhati samajh gayi hai. Aur Bengal ke nagriko kam, Bengal ki bhavi peedhi ka, aur Bengal ka woh bhari nuksaan kar rahi hai - yeh ab Bengal ke logon ke mann mein convince ho chuka hai. Woh bachne ke liye raaste khoj rahi hai.”

(She is not afraid of me, but of herself. The balloon of her lies has burst. The people of Bengal have understood her misdeeds. She he is doing great injustice to the citizens of Bengal, to the future generation of Bengal, and to Bengal - the people of Bengal are now convinced. Mamata is looking for ways to escape.)

Bengal will best-performing state for BJP: Modi

R Bangla posed PM Modi with a question on his confidence of winning from Bengal this election. The Prime Minister replied, “I have toured the country during elections. I have seen the 2014 general elections and the 2019 general elections. The 2024 Lok Sabha Elections are very different, one full of faith (in the BJP). It is the citizens who are leading the elections this time, it is the public that is running it. We (the politicians and those in governance) are just a means to the end. The common man’s goal is now Viksit Bharat. This is a very big achievement for this election campaign.”

“Main maanta hoon, ki Bengal mein sabse best performance hone wala hai.” (Bengal will be the best-performing state for the BJP), said PM Modi.

On TMC MLA and Mamata’s statements on Hindus

PM Modi expressed his opinion on Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLA Humayun Kabir statement threatening to drown Hindus in the Bhagirathi river. Mamata Banerjee did not react to the MLAs statement. In fact, the CM went on to insult Ramakrishna Mission and Bharat Sevashram Sangha, and said that the epics of Ramayana and Mahabharat will be finished, but that her work of development won’t end. “Why is Mamata saying such things?” asked the R Bangla Senior Editor.

To which, PM Modi replied, “Mamata ji ki raajneeti issi par nirbhar hai. Vote bank ki raajneeti ke liye, Vote Jihad ke liye, woh lagataar (aise kaam kar rahi hai)...Ram Navami par pratibandh lagana, Durga Visarjan par pratibandh lagana, koi ‘Jai Shri Ram’ bole toh ladai lad lena…aur woh parampara unki apni party ke har vyakti mein aayi hai, aur isliye woh sabhi Hinduon ko dubo dene ki, Ganga mein baha dene ki baat karne ki himmat kar rahe hai…Isse bada desh ka koi durbhagya nahin ho sakta hai.”

(Mamata ji’s politics depends on this. For vote bank politics, for Vote Jihad, they are continuously... imposing ban on Ram Navami, imposing ban on Durga Visarjan, if someone says 'Jai Shri Ram', they fight with the person. This tradition has been imbibed into every person of her party, and that is why they are daring to talk about drowning all the Hindus, about drowning them in the Ganga…It is to the country’s misfortune that they are making statements like that.)

“The national media…the Khan Market gang, which is talking about such issues (about Hindus). They don’t realise how serious the issue is that someone is threatening to drown the citizens of India in the Ganga. Mamata ji toh chup hai, unki poori gang chup hai… (Not just Mamata, her entire gang is quiet about it),” added PM Modi.

‘Bengal rich in resources, needs leadership’

Bengal at one time had a glory of its own. Will there be development and factories in Kolkata and Bengal to compete with Mumbai and Delhi, if BJP comes to power?

“I can share my Gujarat experience. In that state, there is drought for seven out of 10 years. Gujarat does not have the minerals that Bengal has. Gujarat only has salt. Even then, we worked hard and created an industrial state out of it. Whereas Bengal has a history of industry, of natural resources… But earlier, the Left made sure the industries were shut down, which went to other states. People trusted the TMC to bring about some change. It is organising an investment summit…but every investment needs security and the faith that there is stability in the policies. And that is why, iss sarkaar ko hatana sabse badi priority honi chahiye (voters must strive to remove the TMC government on top priority),” said PM Modi, urging the Bengal youth to overthrow the corrupt Mamata government.

R Bangla asked PM Modi if in the double engine sarkaar, will there be more development in Bengal?

“You have been one of the experts in getting business to Gujarat. Will you do the same for Gujarat?” asked the R Bangla Senior Editor.

“I have advised Bengal earlier, too. Why did the Centre organise the G20 Summit in different states? So that the states are projected, gain prominence and are noticed. I am willing to help Bengal in every way,” promised PM Modi.

Watch - PM Modi’s Full Interview by R Bangla Exclusive here: