Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit West Bengal on Saturday to address a rally and unveil highway projects in Nadia district’s Ranaghat. This is Modi’s first visit to the state since the SIR (Special Intensive Revision) started.
On Friday, Modi in a post on X remarked that the people of West Bengal were “suffering due to the TMC’s misgovernance in every sector” triggering a war of words even as the latter hit back stating that Kolkata considers him a guest and that the people of the state “will reject him in 2026”.
“In the afternoon tomorrow, 20th December, I will address a BJP rally in Ranaghat. The people of West Bengal are benefitting from numerous pro-people initiatives of the Central Government. At the same time, they are suffering due to the TMC’s misgovernance in every sector. The loot and intimidation of TMC have crossed all limits. That is why, BJP is the people’s hope,” the PM’s post read.
“ I look forward to being among the people of West Bengal … At around 11:15 am, I will attend a public programme in Ranaghat in Nadia district, where development works worth Rs 3200 crore will either be inaugurated or their foundation stones will be laid. The works include: Inauguration of a 66.7 km 4-lane stretch of Barajaguli-Krishnanagar Section of NH-34. Laying the foundation stone for 4-laning of Barasat-Barajaguli Section of NH-34. This will improve connectivity between Kolkata and Siliguri,” the post on X said.
Hitting back, the TMC accused the Centre of withholding the state’s dues, insulting its cultural identity and targeting its people, even as the party said the state would “welcome” him as a guest.
The TMC’s post on X read: “You’re right, Mr Mann-Ki-Baat Prime Minister. Bengal is suffering. But Bengal is suffering because of you. Because your government is withholding our rightful dues of nearly ₹2 lakh crore, despite collecting over ₹6.5 lakh crore in GST and direct taxes between 2017-18 and 2023-24. Because you insult Bengal’s cultural, spiritual, and civilisational icons at every turn. Because our people are being branded “Bangladeshis”, detained, and even illegally deported simply for speaking their mother tongue. Because you misuse money and muscle power, weaponise central agencies, and deploy the Godi Media to deliberately tarnish Bengal’s image…”
“Yet, Bengal welcomes guests. Last year, we received the second-highest number of foreign tourists in the country, and we will welcome you too. But make no mistake. The people of Bengal will reject you in 2026, just as they have in every election before that,” the post read further.
Modi will address the public meeting in Nadia’s Taherpur, a Matua-dominated area.
The visit comes as the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress has mounted sustained opposition to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, alleging that large numbers of genuine voters, particularly refugee Hindus, risk disenfranchisement due to it.
BJP MP Jagannath Sarkar, who represents the Ranaghat Lok Sabha seat, where Taherpur is located, claimed that fear was being spread deliberately among the Matuas about SIR.
“We are hopeful that the PM’s message would dispel those fears and canards,” he said.
Chief Minister Banerjee has already led anti-SIR rallies in Nadia and North 24 Parganas, the two adjoining districts that share a border with Bangladesh and have a significant Matua presence.
To manage the rush of passengers on the occasion of the PM’s rally in Taherpur, the Sealdah Division of Eastern Railways is increasing the number of additional trains, said the sources. According to information, the Sealdah Division has arranged these extra trains specifically for the Kalyani-Lalgola section to handle the anticipated crowd.
