Trinamul Congress chairperson Mamata Banerjee said on Thursday that the Modi magic is not creating any impact and so PM Narendra Modi has taken recourse to divisive politics. She was addressing a gathering at the Bank Of India crossing on BB Ganguly Street this afternoon (photo). The area falls under Kolkata North constituency where the TMC’s nominee is three-time MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay.

The election in North Kolkata Lok Sabha seat will be held on 1 June. The BJP has fielded Tapas Roy, former Trinamul MLA who left the TMC and joined the saffron party shortly before the announcement of election dates. Miss Banerjee said unable to face people, Mr Modi has created a narrative against the Muslims. “He is saying that the Muslims will eat into the reservations of the Scheduled Caste people. Is this possible? The Constitution has given the rights which no one can take away. He is trying to pit the SC communities against the Muslims,” she said, and urged people not to fall into the trap of the BJP. She said from time immemorial Bengal has accepted people from different communities, faiths and religions. “This is our culture and tradition.

I take part in Durga Puja, participate in the Eid prayers and attend Christmas Mass. Religion is personal and festival is for all. BJP is trying to vitiate this inclusiveness. They are planning to engineer riots just to disturb peace of the state,” she said. She alleged that the Election Commission of India has planned a seven-phase election just to allow Mr Modi to take part in all phases of the polls. “After introduction of the Model Code of Conduct, all development work has been stalled.

This does not affect the BJP as it does not believe in development. It believes only in division,” she said. Miss Banerjee reiterated that the INDIA bloc is coming to power in the country and Bengal will play a major role in consolidating the victory. “We want to increase the number of seats as that will help to consolidate the INDIA bloc in Delhi,” she said. “ We are getting information that in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, BJP will not do well. The party has realised it and so is putting up advertisements which are full of lies. I have never seen a party in my life where the leaders from the top to the bottom speak so many lies,” she said.

Miss Banerjee said if the BJP comes to power, “it will destroy the Indian Constitution and take away reservations”. “By introducing the Uniform Civil Code it will take away the rights of different groups and communities which are guaranteed by the Constitution,” she said. Miss Banerjee also came down heavily on Tapas Roy, who left the TMC to join the saffron party and is the BJP candidate from Kolkata North seat, and said he left the party following pressure from the ED and the Income Tax authorities.