TMC means “Tu Main Corruption”: PM Modi Fires Fresh Salvo at Mamata Banerjee Government

Taking a sharp jibe at the Trinamool Congress, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that the party has become synonymous with corruption, betrayal, and atrocities in West Bengal. While addressing a public gathering in Krishnanagar in Bengal’s Nadia district, the Prime Minister not only called out the ruling TMC government over the Sandeshkhali issue but also, alleged that the state government misappropriated the funds allocated for the MNREGA job card holders. “TMC ka matlab hai tu, main, corruption hi corruption (TMC means you, me and corruption),” asserted the Prime Minister.

In his speech, the Prime Minister lashed out at TMC, alleging that the “Ma, Mati, Manush (Mother, Land, People) government of the state has let down the mothers and sisters of Sandeshkhali. “The Ma, Mati, Manush government of Bengal has only used the women of this state as its vote bank. The TMC government has disappointed the women of Bengal. The mothers and the sisters of Sandeshkhali kept pleading for justice, yet the state government turned a deaf ear towards them. It is shocking, that in Bengal, the police do not decide when to arrest a criminal, rather, a criminal decides when to get arrested or to surrender,” said Prime Minister Narendra Modi drawing inferences to Sheikh Shahjahan’s arrest.

"The Trinamool Congress government has let down the people of Bengal. Despite getting a big mandate from the people of the state, Trinamool Congress has done nothing for its people; the party has become synonymous with betrayal and atrocity. TMC means disappointment, dynasty and corruption,” said the Prime Minister.

Lashing out at the Trinamool Congress government, the Prime Minister alleged that the state government of West Bengal has misappropriated the central funds allocated for the MNREGA job card holders of the state. “25 lakh fake MNREGA job cards were made in Bengal. TMC went on to make job cards for people who have not even been born. The money that was meant for the poor laborers of Bengal, was siphoned off by the thieves of TMC,” said Narendra Modi stating that the country has been left aghast by seeing such corrupt practices in Bengal. “Trinamool Congress has tainted the image of Bengal, they take all central government schemes and put their own stickers on it, calling it their own,” added PM Modi.

However, the Trinamool Congress leadership of the state was quick to counter the Prime Minister’s MNREGA job card claims. Bengal Minister of Women and Child Development and Social Welfare, Dr. Sashi Panja alleged that the prime Minister presented “false facts” during his public address in Krishnanagar. “Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing in Krishnanagar with certain false facts, unfortunate. You have deprived 59 lakh beneficiaries in Bengal of their MNREGA wages, and that is the truth. And who is paying this money? Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of West Bengal is paying this money. Uttar Pradesh had the highest number of fake job cards, but UP was never deprived because UP has a BJP government. But in West Bengal, the deprived beneficiaries for the last two years are getting the money now from Mamata Banerjee, the Central government and the Narendra Modi has not allotted any funds for the people of Bengal. The people of Bengal are watching what else, how many false figures and statements are you going to say in today’s speech,” said Dr Sashi Panja.

It is important to note that the Prime Minister’s claims pertaining to the MNREGA job cards come at a time when the Center and the state government are at loggerheads over the issue. The Bengal government has alleged that the Union government has withheld ventral funds meant for the poor people, and has deprived them of their rightful dues. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had said that the Bengal government would not let down the poor people and that all MNREGA dues would be cleared from the state coffers.​