War of words between Modi-Mamata in Purulia ahead of its polls

Purulia: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee renewed their hostilities against each other in the tribal and former Maoist belt of Purulia in Bengal, two days before it goes to polls.

They both addressed simultaneous rallies on Thursday, merely eight km and half an hour separating them.

The barbs got uglier -- as the PM retorted to Banerjee’s ‘tight slap of democracy’ jibe, she fired in another one, asking the PM to do “100 squats” if corruption charges against the Trinamool Congress were proven wrong.

While Modi attacked Banerjee by talking about the ‘bua-bhatija’ combination, Banerjee said someone who never took care of his wife, shouldn’t comment on other’s family.

Modi gave a long rebuttal to Banerjee’s “slap of democracy” jibe.

“Didi says she wants to slap me. Didi, you are like my elder sister. I love and respect you. Your slap is a blessing to me. I take it in my stride.

But I would also advise you to give this tight slap to some of your party leaders who stole people’s money in this chit fund scam. Had you slapped them once, they would not have dared to do this,” said PM.

He also dragged Banerjee’s nephew into the picture, saying “Didi is busy building her bhatija’s career, when her ministers and cadre are looting and extorting money from the people”.

Over the past few weeks, the narrative has hit a new low, with allegations flying thick and fast. Modi had been continuously referring to TTT ‘Trinamool Tolabaazi Tax’ -- ‘tolabaazi’ is a colloquial Bengali slang for organised extortion racket, and the involvement of Trinamool leaders in the scam.

She too hit back, calling Modi a “liar”, “person drenched in blood” and as “someone who does not take care of his wife”.

Earlier in the day, while speaking at a rally in Bankura, 220 km from Kolkata, Modi said the Trinamool chief was scared of defeat. “I am used to abuses now,” he said.