Shah promises ‘Sonar Bangla’, Mamata steps up attack on BJP

Home minister says will launch inquiry into siphoning of Amphan relief funds, Mamata hits back

KOLKATA: From reservation for women in government jobs to 7th Pay Commission benefits for state government employees and an annual grant of ₹6,000 each for around 400,000 fishermen, Union home minister Amit Shah on Thursday listed a series of promises that he said his BJP will fulfil in West Bengal if elected to power in this summer’s assembly elections.

At a rally in Namkhana in South 24-Parganas district, Shah also stepped up his offensive on the ruling Trinamool Congress, accusing it of corruption and promising an inquiry into what he said was siphoning of funds meant for relief work in the aftermath of Cyclone Amphan that battered Bengal last May.

The TMC’S reply was swift. It came from a counter-rally -attended by both chief minister Mamata Banerjee and her nephew Abhishek Banerjee -- in the Pailan area in the same district, a bastion of the ruling party. The CM launched a spirited defence of her nephew, who is facing the BJP’S criticism over alleged corruption, even as the political rhetoric turned into personal attacks. It was the first time that she defended Abhishek from the dais in the run-up to the elections.

At his event organised to flag off the BJP’S fifth and last “Poriborton Rath Yatra (rally for change)”, Shah launched a fresh offensive on Abhishek, a parliamentarian from Diamond Harbour in South 24-Parganas, and said “bhaipo (nephew) and his goons” misappropriated central funds sent to Bengal.

“When the BJP government comes to power in the state, a high-level probe would be done,” he said. “This is BJP’S fight to make Bengal Sonar Bangla (Golden Bengal) …Our goal is to ensure that there is a change in the situation in Bengal, a change in the condition of the poor and the woman.”

Listing development plans for

Bengal, Shah said South 24-Parganas will be developed into a seafood hub and Ganga Sagar mela in the district, which sees the participation of hundreds of thousands pilgrims every year, will be developed into an international tourism attraction.

Even though the BJP made deep inroads into Bengal in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, winning 18 of the state’s 42 seats, South 24-Parganas remained a TMC fortress. The TMC won all four seats there. With 31 assembly constituencies, the district is key to the BJP’S plan of winning at least 200 of Bengal’s 294 assembly seats.

“I assure you that if you vote the BJP to power we would implement the 7th Pay Commission for state government employees. The BJP government will reserve more than 33% government jobs for women,” he said. “We would initiate a series of programmes for the development of the fishermen community. Around 400,000 fishermen would annually get ₹6,000 each under a new scheme…”

Shah said the CM took objections to the “Jai Shri Ram” slogan due to her appeasement politics. “Should the Durga Puja not take place in West Bengal? Court permission needs to be obtained for it. Should the Saraswati Puja not be held here? She had stopped it…,” Shah said.

As sparks flew thick and fast, CM Banerjee led the counterattack. “I dare you (Shah) to field your son in politics. Don’t play with fire…i challenge Amit Shah. First, you contest Abhishek and then face me….your son is my bhatija (nephew) too. He had no money. Tell us how he made hundreds of crores of rupees. How is he a leader in the cricket world?” she asked.

Shah’s son Jay Shah is the secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India.

“First ask him (Shah) to chant the Saraswati Puja mantra. If I don’t allow Durga Puja, then how did the clubs got the money to hold the puja,” Banerjee said.

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