On Saturday, 27 March, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of attempting to seek votes from a section of people in the state while he was on a two-day visit to Bangladesh.
As per ANI, addressing a gathering in Kharagpur, she said, “Elections are underway here and he (PM) goes to Bangladesh and lectures on Bengal. It is a total violation of code of conduct of the Election Commission.”
She also asked why shouldn’t PM Modi’s visa be “cancelled”.
“In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, when a Bangladeshi actor attended our rally, BJP spoke to the Bangladesh government and got his visa cancelled. When polls are underway here, you (PM) go to Bangladesh to seek votes from a section of people. Why shouldn’t your visa be cancelled? We shall complain to the Election Commission,” she added.
On the second and final day of his Bangladesh visit, PM Modi addressed the Matua community in Orakandi, which is a sizeable population in both West Bengal and the neighbouring country.
WHO ARE THE MATUAS?
The Matuas are a sub-sect of the scheduled Namashudra caste group. The Matua community is one of the most important electoral groups in West Bengal with a population of over 3 crore, according to community estimates and 1.8 crore, according to government estimates.
“I was waiting for this opportunity for many years. During my 2015 visit to Bangladesh, I had expressed my wish to visit Orakandi. Today, that wish has come true,” Modi said.
PM Modi also stressed the development of education, especially that involving girl child, in Bangladesh. He announced that the girls’ middle-school in Orakandi will be upgraded with the latest facilities and a new primary school will also be built by the Indian government.
The first phase of the West Bengal Assembly elections began on Saturday, recording nearly 80 percent voter turnout until 5:30 pm. West Bengal will have polling in eight phases and results of the elections will be announced on 2 May.
(With inputs from ANI)
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