Modi impresses crowd with Bengali speech, slams Mamata over development

Kolkata, Feb 7 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday addressed the mammoth gathering in West Bengal’s East Midnapore district in Bengali, enthralling the jubilant crowd present there at the ground who came to hear him out from distance.
“Today when I’m here at one end of the river Ganga, there has been a disaster at its source in Uttarakhand and people are fighting that out with utmost will. I pray for their courage. I have spoken to the Chief Minister of the state and am constantly in touch with people there. Rescue operation is going on there on a war-footing,” PM Modi said.
He also reminded the gathering about the legacy of Midnapore, the land of great freedom fighters like Matangini Hazra, Khudiram Bose and educationist Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar who have “Barnaporichoy” to Bengalis.
“Bengal had all the infrastructure in terms of port, road and industries. People of Bengal want development and modernisation. But what happened to the industries here? How many foundation stones were laid during the last 10-years of the Trinamool Congress government. Today Bengal is lagging behind in terms of economic activities. The main reason of that is politics,” he said.
PM Modi also mentioned about the Tamralipta government in undivided Midnapore which had shown the nation a new path. He said that time has come to look into the aspect.
“Bengal has always been a fore runner. The Centre is trying to look into every aspect to develop Bengal – be it airport, road infrastructure, public distribution system. We have allocated funds to improve road infrastructure in the state. Bengal needs a double-engine government for fast-track growth,” he said, adding that he was feeling proud to be at Haldia.