PM Modi invokes Netaji slogan, asks for votes in Bengal’s Matua belt

Prime Minister Narendra Modi invoked Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s iconic slogan during a rally in West Bengal’s Matua belt, urging voters to support the BJP in the ongoing Assembly elections.

Speaking in Thakurnagar on April 26 in North 24 Parganas, a key Matua stronghold, Modi adapted Bose’s famous line “Give me blood, and I will give you freedom,” telling voters to give their votes in return for “freedom”. The remark formed a central part of his campaign pitch in the region.

Targeting the ruling Trinamool Congress, Modi alleged that the state was witnessing “jungle raj” and accused the government of failing to ensure governance and development.

He urged voters to back the BJP, presenting it as an alternative to the current administration.

The Prime Minister also focused on the Matua community, which holds significant electoral influence in several constituencies of the state.

The BJP has been consistently engaging with the community, including through its push for implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), which remains a key issue in the region.

The rally comes amid intensified campaigning in West Bengal, with the BJP leadership holding multiple public meetings across districts. Senior party leaders, including Amit Shah, have also been actively involved in the campaign strategy on the ground.

West Bengal is voting in phases in the ongoing Assembly elections, with different regions going to the polls across scheduled dates.