Mamata Banerjee accuses PM Modi of ‘politicising’ Bengal floods

Amid the chaos of floods and landslides in north Bengal, chief minister Mamata Banerjee fiercely condemned Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing him of politicising a natural disaster and violating constitutional norms after he criticised the TMC government over the attack on two BJP leaders.

The incident occurred in Nagrakata, Jalpaiguri, one of the regions worst affected by recent floods and landslides in the Dooars region, which have claimed at least 30 lives. BJP MP Khagen Murmu and MLA Sankar Ghosh were injured when a mob allegedly attacked them during their visit to the flood-hit area.

Reacting to Modi’s post on X, in which he condemned the attack and described it as reflective of an “absolutely pathetic law and order situation” under the TMC government, Banerjee said the prime minister’s remarks were premature and politically motivated.

“It is unfortunate and deeply concerning that the prime minister has chosen to politicise a natural disaster without waiting for a proper investigation, especially while people in north Bengal are grappling with the aftermath of devastating floods and landslides,” she wrote.

Banerjee noted that while her administration and local police were fully engaged in rescue and relief operations, the BJP leaders had visited the affected areas with a large convoy and central security forces, without informing local authorities.

“How can the state administration, local police, or the TMC be blamed for the incident?” she asked.

She criticised Modi for issuing sweeping statements without verified evidence, legal inquiry, or administrative reports, calling it a “breach of the constitutional ethos”.

“The incident occurred in a constituency where the people themselves have elected a BJP MLA. Yet the prime minister paints it as a reflection of TMC’s governance. Such unsubstantiated generalisations are immature and unbecoming of the highest office,” Banerjee added.

She also compared Modi’s sudden concern for Bengal with his delayed visit to Manipur, which he only visited 964 days after ethnic violence erupted, suggesting that his West Bengal comments were opportunistic political theatre rather than genuine empathy.

Banerjee emphasised the need for unity over political point-scoring:

“Violence must be condemned, but this is not the time for partisan chest-thumping. This is a time to help and heal. Let us not deepen divides. Let us stand united beyond party lines to serve the people who need us the most.”

She accused the BJP of attempting to stoke divisions using the north Bengal vs south Bengal narrative ahead of elections and urged the prime minister to coordinate with the elected state government rather than just party colleagues.

Earlier, PM Modi condemned the attack on Murmu and Ghosh, saying: “The manner in which our party colleagues, including a sitting MP and MLA, were attacked in West Bengal for serving the people affected by floods and landslides is outright appalling. It highlights the insensitivity of the TMC as well as the absolutely pathetic law and order situation in the state.”

He urged BJP workers to continue assisting rescue operations in the flood-hit areas.

The attack has highlighted rising tensions between the ruling TMC and the BJP in West Bengal, with elections looming and disaster management now becoming a flashpoint in political discourse.

With PTI inputs