Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed two rallies in Bengal on Wednesday but did not utter a word about Ishwarchandra Vidyasagar. Less than 24 hours earlier, a bust of the Bengal Renaissance icon had been vandalised at Vidyasagar College in Calcutta during BJP president Amit Shah’s road show. At his rallies in Taki and Diamond Harbour, Modi obliquely referred to Tuesday evening’s incident. Asked whom he held responsible for Tuesday’s incident, he iterated what he had said at the rally: “My opinion is not necessary.”At the rally, Modi said: “Yesterday, the whole nation saw the picture of Calcutta and is discussing it. You (Mamata) talk about badla with gaaliyan, goley, hathiyar (abuses, shells, weapons)... this is your fear of badlav (change) in Bengal,” Modi said.

Source: The Telegraph May 15, 2019 20:37 UTC