Kolkata, Calling Prime Minister Narendra Modi more “dangerous than Hitler”, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday accused the BJP of pumping in “hawala money” in Kolkata to lure voters.
Addressing successive rallies in the city for the seventh and last phase of the Lok Sabha polls, the Trinamool Congress chief lashed out at Modi for demolishing democratic instituions and highjacking the poll process through money and muscle power.
“I have never seen such blatant use of money power. They have hijacked the state machinery. Crores of rupees are being distributed in Kolkata. All this is hawala money. They are distributing as much as Rs 5,000 per vote. Is this an election or a joke,” she said at a rally in Jadavpur here.
Referring to a “suspicious box” that was spotted being carried out of Modi’s helicopter during one of his rallies in Karnataka earlier, Banerjee said choppers ferrying BJP leaders to Kolkata must be checked.
“Shouldn’t their choppers be checked after they land? I have heard even CRPF vehicles are being used to ferry boxes of money,” alleged Banerjee asking people to be wary of BJP’s money and muscle power.
She also claimed that BJP has brought in goons from other states to Kolkata and asked people to be aware.
“Beware of Modi, he is more dangerous than Hitler, he is dangerous than all facists together. If somehow he manages to come back, he will sell off the country. Will you vote for such a man,” asked Banerjee.
She also targeted Modi for not declaring any information about his wife in his affidavit submitted to the Election Commission.
“How did the Election Commission allow his nomination? He says he doesn’t know about his wife’s address or her income or her properties,” she said at a rally in Tolygunge.
Banerjee accused the BJP of spending money to control Facebook, Twitter and social media.
“They are spreading lies on social media. It has become fake-book. They are sharing photos of Bangladesh and passing them off as that of Bengal.”
Charging Modi with capturing democratic institutions, she said: “Not a single leader in India today is able to speak up. They are intimidating everyone in the name of Central agencies like ED, CBI and IT Department’.
“There must be an enquiry into demonetisation. RBI was dead against the move but he carried it out on his whim. They turned their black money into white and bought land in many states. They have set up the party headquarters worth crores of rupees,” added Banerjee.
Chanting the slogan “chowkidar chor hai”, Banerjee said the BJP would be wiped out in the elections.