New Delhi: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee launched a no-holds-barred attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi Thursday, accusing him of “weakening” India’s fight against cross-border terrorism by “politicising” Operation Sindoor, even as multi-party delegations travel abroad to secure the country’s interests.
Referring to Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, who was tasked with holding press briefings on Operation Sindoor during the India-Pakistan conflict, Mamata alleged that the Prime Minister selectively invokes India’s pluralist ethos when it suits him, while weaponising religion for political gain at other times.
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief’s scathing remarks came at a press conference held just minutes after Modi, addressing a rally in West Bengal, referenced the cultural and religious significance of sindoor (vermillion) in the state, highlighting a ritual performed by Bengali women during Durga Puja.
“Please remember that every woman respects sindoor. They take sindoor from their husbands. You (PM) are not the husband of everybody. Why don’t you give sindoor to your Mrs first? Sorry to say, I should not go into all these matters, but you compel us. You compel us to open our mouths by calling for Operation Bengal like Operation Sindoor,” Mamata said, adding that the operation was named Sindoor for political gain.
According to the West Bengal CM, during the rally held in Alipurduar in North Bengal, some BJP leaders—speaking in the Prime Minister’s presence—reportedly claimed that “Operation Bengal” would lead to the defeat of the Trinamool Congress, just as Operation Sindoor neutralised terrorists in Pakistan.
“Through his statement he has compared terrorists with the soil of Bengal, the dignity of women of Bengal. What does he think of himself? He thinks he can get away by saying anything he wants? By doing whatever he wants? If he wants to carry out Operation Bengal like Operation Sindoor, I dare him to hold elections tomorrow…they should hold elections tomorrow if they have the guts,” the TMC supremo said.
Mamata also took another swipe at Modi saying he may not be holding the PM’s post by the time elections are held in West Bengal in 2026 as he had himself spoken about retirement from public life after turning 75.
“At one point he used to call himself a tea-seller, then he called himself a security guard and now he wants to sell sindoor. Sindoor cannot be sold like this. Sindoor symbolises the self-respect and dignity of women. Is he not ashamed? Blue films are playing out on the streets of Uttar Pradesh (a reference to MP highway sex scandal). One BJP MP blamed the widows of Pahalgam for failing to resist the terrorists,” she added.
At the Alipurduar rally earlier in the day, Modi attacked Mamata’s government over the Murshidabad riots and the teacher recruitment scam, accusing it of fostering violence, corruption and lawlessness. The people of Bengal are desparate to oust the “nirmam sarkar” (cruel government), he added.
Accusing Modi of indulging in relentless publicity campaigns, Mamata said that while the Indian armed forces were the country’s asset, the PM was akin to a “cassette”. She also sniped at the PM referring to US President Donald Trump’s claim that he brokered the truce between India and Pakistan. “You cannot utter a word on what America says.”
“You conspire against the opposition, create divisions between communities. You play divisive politics. But when you travel to Saudi Arabia, you embrace the Sheikhs. Then you don’t see a Hindu from a Muslim. During the conflict, you get Colonel Qureshi to hold press conferences. Hindu and Muslim do not matter for you then,” Mamata went on to say.
The PM has weakened the fight of our motherland, she added. “All opposition parties are lending support to you and you are disrespecting them. Shame on you and shame on your government and shame on the BJP.”
(Edited by Gitanjali Das)
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