PM Modi's 5 Guarantees To West Bengal at Barrackpore Rally Has Mention of Ram Navami, CAA

New Delhi: Ahead of the crucial Lok Sabha elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi listed out his 5 guarantees for the people of West Bengal is voted back to power. PM Modi, while addressing an election rally in Bengal's Barrackpore on Sunday, May 13, promised that when BJP is voted back to power, he will ensure that all the 5 guarantees are fulfilled. 

PM Modi mounted a scathing attack on Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress government in the state, accusing it of treating Hindus as the second-class citizens."TMC threatens people when they chant the name of Shri Ram. Jai Shri Ram! TMC does not allow people to celebrate Ram Navami. Congress, too, stands against the Ram Mandir… A TMC leader says that they will throw Hindus into the Bhagirathi River. Hindus have become second-class citizens in Bengal under the TMC rule." said the Prime Minister. 

PM Modi on Sunday also held a roadshow in Bengal's Barrackpore. Barrackpore goes to polls in the fifth phase of Lok Sabha polls on May 20. “Today I am giving 5 guarantees to Bengal,” said the Prime Minister during his rally. 

No Reservation Based on Religion

In his first guarantee, Prime Minister Modi said that no reservation will be provided based on religion. “Till the time I am here, reservation will not be provided based on religion,” said PM Modi. Religion-based quota has been a major issue this Lok Sabha polls with BJP accusing Congress of giving quotas of Muslims against the Constitution. INDI leader and RJD supremo Lalu Yadav had also advocated for “complete Muslim quota” in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections. 

SC, ST, OBC Quota

Sharpening his attack over the INDI alliance, PM Modi promised that he wouldn't allow parties to cut into the reservation quota given to different socially backward communities, including Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribe and OBC. Earlier, PM had alleged that the Opposition wants to take away reservation from the socially backward communities and hand it over to the Muslim community. “Till the time I am here, no one can finish SC, ST, and OBC reservation,” said the Prime Minister.

Ram Navami celebrations

 In his third promise, the Prime Minister said that till he is here no one can stop the people of West Bengal from celebrating Ram Navami and worshipping Lord Ram. “Till the time I am here, no one can stop you from worshipping Lord Ram and celebrating Ram Navami," said PM during Barrackpore rally. Ram Navami has been a major flashpoint in Bengal politics due to the history of violence on the occasion. on multiple instances, stones have been pelted on Ram Navami processions in West Bengal. 

SC Judgement on Ram Mandir

 In his next promise, the Prime Minister assured the people of West Bengal that no one can overturn the judgment of Supreme Court regarding the Ayodhya dispute. “Till the time I am here, no one can overturn the Supreme Court's judgement on the Ram Temple,” said PM Modi. For the unversed, former Congress leader Acharya Pramod Krishnam had alleged that Rahul Gandhi had plans of overturning the judgement just like the Shah Bano case. "I have spent more than 32 years in the Congress and when the Ram Mandir decision came, Rahul Gandhi in a meeting with his close aides said that after the Congress government is formed, they will form a superpower commission and overturn the Ram Mandir decision," said Krishnam as quoted by ANI. 

CAA

 In his last and fifth promise, the Prime Minister said that no can abolish Citizenship Amendment Act till he was around. "Till the time I am here, no one will be able to abolish CAA..." said PM Modi. CAA, which empowers the government to grant citizenship to the prosecuted minorities from the neighbouring countries has been a major flash point in Bengal with CM and Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee claiming that she would not allow CAA to be implemented in West Bengal. 

BJP Tries To Improve Tally in Bengal 

In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the TMC won 34 seats in the state, while the BJP had to settle for 2 seats. The CPI (M) won 2 seats, while the Congress bagged 4. However, the BJP came up with a much-improved showing in the 2019 polls, winning 18 seats against the TMC's 22. The Congress's tally dropped to just 2 seats, while the Left scored a blank. 

This time, the BJP is trying to improve its tally in West Bengal. Union Home Minister and BJP leader Amit Shah has claimed that BJP will win over 30 seats in West Bengal this Lok Sabha elections.