Kolkata, July 22 (IANS): Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar on Saturday lambasted West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for her call to “dislodge” Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying it was due to her “frustration” as more and more people of the state were moving towards the BJP.
“Her campaign to dislodge Modiji… Everybody can daydream but that is not going to happen. A non-existent unity can’t give us a challenge. Modi is connected to the poor, all sections of society. We are getting stronger by the day,” Javadekar said here on the sidelines of an event.
On Friday at the Martyr’s Day Trinamool Congress rally, Banerjee slammed the Centre’s ruling BJP, accusing it of indulging in “massive corruption” and failure on all fronts.
She pledged to remove it from power in the next general elections.
Javadekar said Banerjee’s speech highlighted her “frustration”.
“Her desperation and frustration was palpable. She has only one agenda – to speak against BJP and Modi. People are with us. Even in Bengal a growing number of people are coming and speaking to BJP. So that’s the real cause of worry for her, and that was palpable yesterday,” he said.
“I am charging that the Communists and Mamata’s rule is no different because both are not really trying to develop the state. They are distributing poverty only, not prosperity,” he said on the sidelines of a Indian Chamber of Commerce event.
He alleged that Banerjee was creating communal discord.
“It is a worrisome feature of her politics, especially the last few months. She is dividing society, dividing communities. It is unacceptable. In democracy, communal harmony is the essence and that is getting disturbed,” he added.
Javadekar also alleged the Bengal government skips inter-state meets.
“When we organise inter-state meets, Bengal is at times absent. Everybody must participate (in such meets),” he said, hoping good sense would prevail.
Later, while talking to reporters Javadekar clarified he had referred to a recent brainstorming programme on education.
“I myself sat through all the deliberations. But unfortunately one state (West Bengal) was not there. It is for you to decide,” he said.
West Bengal Education Minister Partha Chatterjee, however, denied the charge.
“That is entirely untrue. Our officials have gone to every meeting and offered their views. Maybe he doesn’t know,” Chatterjee told the media in a separate press conference.
