Lok Sabha Elections 2024: PM Modi slams TMC over school jobs scam, says Bengal's youth paying the price

Malda: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday lambasted the TMC over the cancellation of around 26,000 jobs following a high court order, asserting that the youth of West Bengal have suffered due to the "cut-and-commission" culture of the party, which is now "synonymous with scams".

Speaking at an election rally in Malda, Modi highlighted the plight of the youth who, in desperation, took loans to pay bribes to TMC leaders.

"The TMC indulges in scams for which the people of the state have to suffer. The party has been playing with the future of the youth of Bengal," he said.

He emphasised how the TMC's involvement in scams has not only jeopardised the future of Bengal's youth, but has also adversely affected thousands of families.

"The teacher recruitment scam snatched the livelihood of around 26,000 families. The youth who took loans to pay bribes to the TMC leaders are now burdened by this situation too. The Centre is working towards generating jobs for the youth of the country," he said.

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Earlier this week, the Calcutta High Court declared the recruitment process of the State Level Selection Test-2016 (SLST) in West Bengal government-sponsored and aided schools as "null and void," ordering the cancellation of all appointments made through it.

"Under TMC rule, only one thing exists - scams totalling thousands of crores. The culprit is TMC, but the entire state is forced to pay for its deception and scams," he said.

Addressing the women electorate, particularly in the minority-dominated district of Malda, Modi accused the TMC of betraying Muslim sisters by opposing the abolition of triple talaq.

"The TMC, which came to power by talking about Maa-Mati-Manush, has committed the biggest betrayal against the women here. When the BJP government abolished triple talaq to protect Muslim sisters from atrocities, TMC opposed it," he said.

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Referring to recent incidents in Sandeshkhali, where allegations of sexual abuse against TMC leaders surfaced, Modi criticised the state government for its alleged apathy towards the victims.

"So many atrocities were committed against women in Sandeshkhali and the TMC government kept protecting the main accused till the end," he said.

Hitting out at the Congress and the TMC for spreading canards about CAA, Modi said the Citizenship (Amendment) Act "is about granting citizenship and not snatching it."

"The Congress and the TMC to appease their vote-bank politics are opposing the CAA. Why are they opposing Hindu, Sikh, and Buddhist refugees, who were forced to leave their land due to religious persecution, from getting citizenship? The CAA is about granting citizenship and not snatching it," he said.

Seizing on Congress leader Sam Pitroda's remarks amid the row on the issue of wealth redistribution, Modi said, "The Congress and the INDI alliance are planning to take the wealth that you have accumulated by working hard and enduring hardships. Even mangalsutra of the poor and Dalit woman will not be spared."

Modi, while questioning the TMC's stand on the issue, said both the parties have now engaged in competition over appeasement politics.

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"The Congress wants to grab your property, and the TMC is not uttering even a single word against this. There is a competition of appeasement going on between these two parties. The TMC government is working to settle Bangladeshi infiltrators in Bengal, and Congress is talking about distributing your assets among those," he said.

The PM said the "biggest magnet" to keep TMC and Congress together is appeasement.

"For the sake of appeasement, these parties can go to any level and can reverse every decision taken in national interest," he said.

Modi said, "The Left and the TMC regime have decimated the glory and honour of Bengal and put a stop to its development."

"Be it the field of social empowerment, scientific discovery, or philosophy, there was a time when Bengal used to lead in every sphere. But, unfortunately, the Left and the TMC hit the glory of Bengal, shattered its honour, and put a stop to its development," he said.

Criticising the TMC's resistance to central projects in Bengal, Modi said the funds sent by the Centre are being looted by the TMC leaders.

"The money that I send from the Centre to the Bengal government for its development is siphoned off by TMC leaders, ministers, and tolabaz (extortionists)," he said.

Modi expressed confidence in the electorate, harbouring optimism for favourable outcomes in both phases of the Lok Sabha polls.

Modi said, "I am sure that the parties like Congress and TMC, which got decimated in the first phase of elections, will get demolished in the second phase too."