Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday asserted that poll-bound West Bengal has made up its mind for “poriborton” (change).
During his second visit to the state this month, Prime Minister inaugurated the extension of Metro Railway from Noapara to Dakshineswar and flag off the first service on this 4.1 km stretch constructed at a cost of Rs 464 crore. “This year ‘rail and metro’ connectivity is Centre’s priority. Such work should have been done decades back and now, we should not delay any projects, from broadening of rail lines to electrification work, money being invested in infrastructure projects,” he added.
Taking swipe at Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and the ruling Trinamool, PM Modi, accused them of corruption and actively preventing the development of Bengal by stalling implementation of the Centre’s welfare schemes.”All these years, this region has been left to itself, but Bengal has made up its mind for ‘poriborton (change)’ and BJP will bring ‘aashol poriborton (real change)’. Development is impossible till there are syndicates. It is impossible till there is tolabaaz (extortion). Aaar noy annyay, amraaaasholporibortonchai (We don’t want injustice anymore, we want real change).”
“The BJP government will bring changes in the industrial policies for development in the state. We will take quick decisions for swift development,” the PM added.
“They (Trinamool Congresss) are holding on to the rest of the money. They don’t care (but) those who want water… are they not also Bengal’s daughters,” the Prime Minister said, taking another swipe at the ruling party—this time over its new election slogan ‘Bangla Nijer Meyekei Chaye’, which translates as “Bengal wants its own daughter” and pitches Mamata Banerjee in that role.
The Prime Minister also attacked the Trinamool over benefit payments to farmers. “A sore point between the state and central government, the Trinamool claims that the Centre is not disbursing funds under PM-Kisan despite it having sent a list of beneficiaries. The Centre claims it has received no list and that the state is withholding this information. Centre sends money directly to accounts but Trinamool tolabaaz (extortionists) take the money for state schemes. This mentality has stopped people from getting Kisan Samman Nidhi,” he said.
“The Central government has provided Rs 1,700 crore for relief work after Cyclone Amphan to the TMC government in Bengal. The state government has only spent Rs 609 crore. The leftover Rs 1,100 crore has been siphoned off by the TMC,” he added.
The extension of Metro Railway from Noapara to Dakshineswar (4.1 km) has been constructed at a cost of Rs 464 crore, fully funded by the Central government. This extension will access to Kali temples at Kalighat and Dakshineswar. The two newly built stations namely Baranagar and Dakshineswar have modern passenger amenities. The third line between Kalaikunda and Jhargram over a stretch of 30 km of the 132 km long Kharagpur-Adityapur Third Line Project of South Eastern Railway, which was sanctioned with an estimated cost of Rs 1,312 crore.
The PM lashed out at the Mamata government for its failure to keep Vande Mataram Bhawan in a good state and called it an “injustice” to West Bengal’s pride. “I am told that Vande Mataram Bhawan, where Bankim Chandra Ji lived for 5 years, is in very bad condition. This is the same Bhawan where he brainstormed to write Vande Mataram, the poem which gave a new lease of life to the freedom struggle. Failure to keep the place of the creator of such ‘amargaan’ in a good state is an injustice to West Bengal’s pride and there is huge politics involved in this—the politics which focuses on vote bank, not patriotism; appeasement, not Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas,” he said.
“This kind of politics stops people of Bengal from performing Durga Puja and visarjan. People of Bengal will never forgive those who insult their culture for vote bank politics. BJP will work for a Sonar Bangla that will strengthen the history and culture of Bengal. We will build a Bengal where religion, faith, spirituality and ability will be respected. We will build a Bengal where there will be development will be for all and appeasement of none. A Bengal which will be ‘tolabaji-mukt’ and ‘rojgar-yukt’,” he added.
(WITH INPUTS FROM ANI)
