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After Sonar Bangla, PM Modi calls for Ashol Paribarton in poll-bound Bengal
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee skipped an official function attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday called for Ashol Paribartan (real transformation) in West Bengal, where assembly elections are due in the next two months, while mounting a scathing attack on the Mamata Banerjee-led ruling Trinamool Congress.
He also flagged off the extension of the city’s north-south Metro corridor from Noapara to Dakshineshwar along with a slew of other railway projects. Chief minister Banerjee, however, skipped the function.
“West Bengal needs the Bharatiya Janata Party-government not just for change in power, but for Ashol Paribartan. In a bid to bring in Ashol Paribartan in the present situation of Bengal, the lotus should bloom here,” Modi said while adding that people of Bengal has already decided for a change.
He was addressing a public rally in Hooghly district, around 50 km north of Kolkata. It was the Prime Minister’s second public rally this month in the poll-bound eastern state where the BJP had made deep inroads winning 18 of the 42 seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
“Development of Bengal is not possible till the time there is syndicate-rule, reign of extortionists, culture of cut money (commission) and an administration that gives shelter to goons. We cannot have development till rule of law is established and the government listens to the common man. Voices are being raised from every corner demanding Ashol Paribartan,” he added as he sharpened his attack against the TMC.
Paribartan was the main slogan of the Trinamool Congress in 2011 when it uprooted the 34-year-old Left Front government. Earlier Union home minister Amit Shah and BJP president JP Nadda had said that BJP would transform the state into Sonar Bangla (Golden Bengal) in five years.
“Injustice has been done with the pride of Bengal. There is a big politics behind this. It is that politics which gives power to appeasement instead of development and supports vote-bank over patriotism. The same politics stops people in Bengal from performing Durga Puja,” Modi added.
The Prime Minister alleged that the TMC government was not allowing development schemes to be implemented in the state.
“You will be surprised to know what they (TMC) have done to Bengal. Even the country would be surprised to know that out of the 1.5 to 1.75 crore rural households in West Bengal only around two lakh households had access to piped water. Under the Jal Jeevan Mission around 3.6 crore households have received piped water in the country. Even after we released funds and stepped up our efforts only nine lakh households in the state could get piped water. The pace with which the TMC government is working it would take years for households to get piped water,” he said.
He said that there is no dearth of enthusiasm to invest in Bengal but it is the environment, which the government has created - the alleged culture of cut-money and syndicate, which is posing a problem.
“Every son and daughter of Bengal, settled abroad, wants to do something for the state. But they have a complaint – how to contribute even if they want to? Even if you want to take a building on rent you need to pay cut money. They are so notorious that they take cut money from both sides. Without the syndicate’s permission they can’t even take a building on rent,” he said.
He said that while the Centre sends money directly to the bank accounts of farmers and the poor people, the funds of the West Bengal government can’t reach the people without the sanction of extortionists backed by the TMC.
“It for this reason that while TMC leaders in villages are getting richer while the common man is getting poorer. “The Centre released ₹1,700 crore to the TMC-government. But only ₹609 crore was used. The government is sitting on the remaining ₹1,100 crores. This shows that the TMC-government is not bothered about the poor and the daughters of Bengal,” he said.
On Saturday the TMC had launched its main campaign slogan - ‘Bangla Nijer Meyekei Chay’ (Bengal wants its own daughter) projecting Mamata Banerjee as the daughter of Bengal.
The TMC hit back at the Prime Minister and refuted allegations of appeasement.
"The Prime Minister never spoke about the rising fuel and LPG prices. He never spoke out the farmers protesting in Delhi. He should see whats happening in Gujarat before raising some baseless allegations against West Bengal," said Kunal Ghosh, TMC spokesperson.
TMC MP Saugata Roy said "Modi has raised some false and baseless allegations. Mamata Baneerjee herself inaugurates around 200 Durga Pujas. All Durga Puja need to take permission from local police. May be one or two were not give permission. The chief minister also gave ₹50,000 to clubs to perform puja," said
He warned that it would be "devastating" if the BJP comes to power in Bengal.
"The BJP is not in power. But their workers and leaders have already started extortion. If BJP comes to power then it would be devastating," said Roy.
He also accused the Centre withholding money to Bengal.
"The Centre never gives any money. They are not releasing the GST share. After cyclone Amphan they released just around R 3,700 crores. It is the BJP's propaganda," said Roy
