Calling the annual Bengal Global Business Summit a “jamboree at public expense”, the BJP on Monday demanded the TMC government in the state to release the investment details. The ruling TMC, on the other hand, accused the main Opposition party of being hypocritical, saying that the party goes “ecstatic” when such investment summits are held in the BJP-ruled states with much fanfare.
The two-day investment summit, likely to be attended by the country’s top industrialists as well as from other countries, is set to begin on Tuesday in Kolkata.
In a post on X, previously Twitter, Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari wrote: “This BGBS summit is neither about business and is far from being global. It’s only glossy lies which would be served to the people of Bengal.”
“Would the Chief Minister care to inform the people of West Bengal, how much of the proposed investments, amounting to Rs 15.7 lakh crore; garnered in the six previous editions of the BGBS have been implemented on the ground? Kindly publish where it got implemented along with a list of those who got employment due to such investments,” the BJP MLA from Nandigram wrote and pointed to Deocha Pachami and Tajpur Port projects.
“…what happened to Deocha Pachami where she announced 2 lakh jobs? Has even one kilogram of coal been extracted from the mines there? And what is the current status of Tajpur Port for which the agreement was signed with much fanfare? To jog peoples’ memories, both these projects were announced amidst much drum beating in the last edition of this summit,” he wrote.
“BGBS is not Bengal Global Business Summit. It’s a two-day day Mamata-made-mirage, consciously projected as an oasis in the barren desert of deindustrialisation in West Bengal to deceive people into believing that Bengal is on the path of economic boom.
With Mamata Banerjee at the helm of affairs, Bengal doesn’t mean business. The BGBS is all about signing the fake MoUs, showing vague Expression of Interests, and issuing Letters of Intent that end up in the dustbin. BGBS in reality is a facade masking the businesses’ graveyard in a bankrupt state,” he added.
Reacting sharply to the BJP’s allegations, Trinamool Congress state vice-president Jay Prakash Majumdar said the BJP leaders know only to criticise the state government.
“In India, almost all the state organises business summits to attract investments and to promote industries. When it is held in Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat, BJP leaders become ecstatic about such events. But when such summits are organised in West Bengal, they are critical of it as if they cannot stand the prospect of investment in West Bengal. Today, they have started a negative campaign against the BGBS,” Majumdar told The Indian Express.
Reminding Adhikari of the pending dues that have not been given to West Bengal by the BJP-ruled Centre, Majumdar said: “Most importantly when they are saying that West Bengal is bankrupt, they are forgetting the fact that the Centre has made an economic blockade against West Bengal government and against the people of Bengal by withholding funds. Therefore, they should think twice before making such wild allegations.”
The Summit will host plenary sessions, Parallel Global Conferences, sectoral sessions for focus sectors, and country sessions with partner countries, besides B2Bs (Business-to-Business) and B2Gs (Business-to-Government) meetings.
This year the focus areas are two sectors — manufacturing and industries including MSME & textiles and engineering, plastics and chemicals; infrastructure, including energy, transport, and urban infrastructure and real estate; agriculture and allied; health; education; tourism; International trade & logistics; IT & ITeS; creative economy and Inclusive economy.
With a 55-member delegation, the United Kingdom will have the largest presence at this year’s summit. Luxembourg, which is participating at the Bengal Global Business Summit as a “Partner Country”, will bring an 18-member delegation.