Across a dozen-odd rallies in the State, the ruling Trinamool Congress and the opposition BJP traded a host of charges ahead of the fifth phase of polling here.

Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, who held three poll rallies today, levelled charges of minority appeasement and instigating Trinamool Congress workers against paramilitary forces to create an “atmosphere of fear” in order to derail the polling process.

The death of four people during the fourth phase of polls in the state last Saturday after Central Forces opened fire, reportedly in self defence, and death of a fifth person in firing by miscreants sparked off a political blame game.

Referring to incident, the Prime Minister accused that the deaths were a “direct result” of the “ chappa vote training” (attempts at rigging) by Trinamool, at the insistence of their party supremo.

“Across rallies, a sitting Chief Minister is instigating her workers to gherao central forces, so that another set of her workers can rig polls, cast false votes. Now the deaths are direct result of such insinuations by the Chief Minister,” he charged at a rally.

Earlier, Union Home Minister, Amit Shah had clearly pointed out that “Mamata Banerjee was politicising the death” and expressing “sympathies with those of a select community”. The death of a Rajbongshi - an indigenous north Bengal community - was being conveniently overlooked by the Chief Minister, as it was not her “vote bank”.

“Instead of asking for my resignation, Mamata-didi should draft her own ahead of May 2. People of Bengal are seeing through her lies and appeasement politics,” Shah said.

The accusations drew sharp response from Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee who has been trying to play-up the incident in her favour ahead of the fifth phase of polling.

“Amit Shah is conspiring to kill the people of Bengal. He and Modi have blood on their hands. And the Prime Minister is giving clean chits to the forces,” she accused.

‘Citizenship for refugees’

At various rallies in Kalyani and Barasaat PM Modi wooed the Matuas and Namoshudras communities as he pulled up Banerjee for ignoring their long pending demand for “unconditional citizenship”.

Modi assured “citizenship for all refugees who respected Bharat Mata”, once the BJP came to power here.

“Didi does not care about Matuas and SCs, STs and OBCs. She is more concerned about illegal immigrants, rather than the rights of refugees. I assure all refugees of citizenship and respect,” he said alleging that “getting simple things like a caste certificate for SC & STs was a Herculean task in Trinamool regime.”

This was the closest Modi has come to referring the contentious CAA during his poll campaign in the State; while Union Home Minister, Amit Shah, has been clear in stating that, CAA will be implemented in the “very first Cabinet meeting of the new BJP government”.

In Bardhaman, Modi made specific references to the “sand mafia” and “cut-money culture” plaguing the people here.

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