Narendra Modi And Amit Shah’s Vicious Attacks On Mamata Catapult Her To National Stage

As the first phase of election in West Bengal in underway on April 23, the electoral battle for the second phase of election to be held on April 29 has now become a rare spectacle in which Bengal Tigress Mamata Banerjee is seen fighting back as ferociously as the political attacks on her by the two strongest politicians of India PM Narendra Modi and Union Minister of Home Amit Shah.

The fight has now turned into an epic political battle, outcome of which will affect the leaders personally, the fates of their parties, future of the state and the Centre, and federal politics in the country. No wonder, the BJP is trying to conquer this regional citadel in the East at any cost, while Mamata is fiercely fighting to defend it. Stakes are very high on both sides, with rising electoral tensions and political violence and several places.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah have been campaigning in the state with high-intensity, multi-layered strategy combining mass rallies, cultural messaging, and booth-level organisational management.

TMC supremo and CM Mamata Banerjee has framed her electoral battle as fight between the BJP culture vs Bengali culture, giving clear signal that BJP is trying to destroy the Bengali culture and the regional citadels of Bengalis.

PM Narendra Modi himself had contributed to the cultural twist to the election campaign by mentioning fish, which heavily symbolic in Bengal because of their food habit. Speaking at a rally in Haldia, Purba Medinipur, he said, “Bengal imports fish from other states. In the last 15 years, the TMC government has taken no worthwhile step to enhance supply and attain self-sufficiency in fish production”. The issue became a key flashpoint after Mamata Banerjee alleged that the BJP would ban fish, meat, and eggs, and impose vegetarianism if elected. PM Modi even tried to connect with local culture by even eating Bengali snack ‘Jhalmuri’ to reduce the “outsider” perception against them.

Amit Shah has been camping in West Bengal and looking after the election campaigns in the state while addressing series of rallies across the state. PM Modi has also been addressing rallies across the state and leading roadshows is several key places in the state including Kolkata. They are making sharp attacks on Mamata Banerjee, who is making equally sharp attack on the duo.

Modi has been repeatedly accusing TMC government of nurturing cut money (bribe) culture, and running a syndicate raj, that is local political extortion networks. He framed Mamata’s rule as anti-development, benefiting middlemen instead of citizens. He also alleged that Mamata practiced minority appeasement and tried to polarise Hindu votes in favour of the BJP. He attacks on Mamata, at times turned personal, mocking and confrontational, aiming to reduce Mamata’s strong emotional connect with voters. He promised a double engine government both at the centre and the state, and claimed that Bengal was missing on central benefits due to TMC. He portrayed Bengal unsafe under TMC. One women’s reservation, he alleged that TMC “betrayed Bengal’s women”.

Mamata on the other hand defenced by her counterattack on Modi. She framed Modi’s almost every claim factually incorrect and insulting to Bengali pride. She said PM Modi’s speeches as insult to Bengal, and completely hypocritical – whether it was the issue of fish, or women’s reservation. “They are spreading lies and trying to divide people,” she said. A recurring line in her speeches is “Bengal will not accept outsiders ruling the state”, which is her strongest political shield directly countering Modi’s national appeal. She even said, “I respected the Prime Minister, but I will not tolerate insult to Bengal.”

As for Amit Shah, he made even sharper attack on Mamata. He said, “We will turn TMC’s goons upside down and straighten them.” He has been referring to Bangladeshi infiltrators, and alleging Muslim appeasement. Kolkata has become a “city of slums because of infiltration” he said blaming Mamata government for illegal migration and urban decline. He also mocked and taunted Mamata by calling “Ei Didi” which later became controversial and perceived as disrespectable language. He said “Tata, bye-bye Didi” and claimed end of her rule.

Mamata Banerjee made counter attack on Amit Shah. She hit back and said, “BJ is the biggest gunda party. They are threatening people instead of doing politics. On infiltration and slums remark of Amit Shah, she said, “They are insulting Bengal and its people … Bengal has always protected everyone.” In response to repeated shark attacks, she said, “Why are they using such language? This is not the culture of Bengal.”

On BJP’s broader campaign, including Shah’s speeches, Mamata’s recurring sharp line is – “They only know how to threaten, divide and spread lies.” On Modi-Shah’s duo’s claim of end of her power after the result is out, she said, “People of Bengal will say bye-bye to BJP, not to me.”

Modi’s attack was related to policy of TMC, messaging of Hindu votes consolidation, and symbolism to remove the “outsider” image of the BJP and their leaders, while Shah was more hard-hitting, and adopted ground-level political attack lines. In response to the Modi’s attacks on policies and criticism of her government Mamata played identity, emotional, welfare legitimacy to convert criticism into “insult to Bengal”. Shah’s attacks were hard, aggressive, and law-and-order focussed and Mamata’s replies were defensive at times but mostly counterattack using regional and cultural identity and dignity of Bengalis.

By April 27, when the election campaign is scheduled to end, we may hear even more sharper attacks and counter attacks of defence from both sides. Million dollar question is whose attacks or defenses are working with voters? Modi-Shah duo’s attacks on Mamata on law and order, infiltration, and political violence seem to be working well in border districts and polarised constituencies, but many common voters find them too harsh, threatening, and misleading.

Mamata’s defensive, emotional, and identity-driven speeches are both protective and combative, that go well with rural voters, women, and Bengali identity conscious population. Mamata seems to be converting personal attack by Modi Shah duo into “attack on a woman leader”, political attack into “attack on Bengal, and ideological attack into “attack on unity.” (IPA Service)