With just a few days left for the commencement of second phase of West Bengal Assembly polls, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday delivered a blistering attack against the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government, accusing it of “betraying” women in the state while promising to “hunt down goons and rapists” after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) comes to power.

Addressing a massive public rally in Bangaon, PM Modi labelled the current government’s tenure as “Jungle Raj”, and outlined initiative promises aimed at women’s empowerment.

“The women of Bengal are the primary victims of the TMC’s ‘Jungle Raj’ (lawlessness). They have been subjected to the greatest betrayal. Atrocities have been committed against our sisters in Sandeshkhali. The women were subjected to verbal abuse. Under the TMC’s ‘Jungle Raj’ (lawlessness), young women are going missing. After May 4, the BJP government will hunt down every single goon and rapist to hold them accountable. The BJP provides both security and opportunities to women,” he said.

The Prime Minister promised that a BJP-led government in West Bengal would deposit Rs 36,000 annually into the accounts of women. 

Furthermore, he announced a landmark 
33% reservation for women in government jobs, promising that “the double benefit of the BJP’s double-engine government will be doubled for the women of Bengal”.

“The Bengal BJP government will deposit Rs 36,000 into the accounts of women every year. The Bengal BJP has also made a big announcement about the salaries of ASHA workers and other women’s health workers. Our government will give mothers, sisters, and daughters free treatment worth Rs 5 lakh. There will be an 80% discount at public health centres. For breast cancer and cervical cancer, tests and vaccines will be provided for free. During pregnancy, there will be an assistance of Rs 21,000, and for graduation, an assistance of Rs 50,000 will be given to daughters, provided by the BJP government,” he further said.

Furthermore, he promised to aid the employment and self-employment of women, stating that 75 lakh women will be assisted so that they are poised to earn more than Rs 1 lakh every year. “For opening their businesses, women will get a loan of Rs 20 lakh from the bank. The bank needs a guarantee. This guarantee will not be required from you, sisters. This guarantee will be given to you by your brother, Modi,” the PM said.

PM Modi further revisited the footballer Lionel Messi’s controversy in the Kolkata stadium a few months ago, stating that it was a result of TMC’s “Maha Jungleraj”.
“BJP will give a new boost to Bengal’s sports culture. The TMC syndicate has destroyed the sports ecosystem here. In Kolkata, just a few months ago, what happened, the pictures that reached all the football fans around the world, was the result of the ‘Maha Jungleraj’. I assure players of Bengal that under the ‘Khelo India’ campaign, a new sports ecosystem will be created in Bengal,” he said.

The Prime Minister also praised the creativity of Bengal’s youth in content creation and social media.

In a veiled attack on TMC, he referred to the “Jhalmuri” episode, stating, “I have also seen some reels. It is obvious: those who are irritated by the ‘Jhal Muri’ do not like the creativity of the youth. But the BJP will make this orange economy and content creation the strength of Bengal.”

Polling for Phase I of the Assembly elections concluded at 6 pm on Thursday, with West Bengal recording a significantly higher voter turnout of 91.78 per cent, according to the Election Commission of India (ECI). The high turnout figures underline an active electoral exercise as polling drew to a close amid tight security arrangements across constituencies.

The polling for the second phase will begin on April 29, with counting of votes scheduled for May 4.