Union Home Minister Amit Shah Monday urged people to vote for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as he launched another scathing attack on Mamata Banerjee-led TMC, accusing the ruling party of corruption and alleging that people are forced to pay “cut money” even for basic services in West Bengal.
With the West Bengal Assembly elections scheduled for April 23 and April 29, Shah positioned the BJP as the only force capable of ending “cut money” corruption, infiltration, and the “bomb culture” in the state. He predicted a “double-engine government” would take charge after the May 4 results.
Addressing a gathering in support of BJP candidate Dudhkumar Mandal in Mayureshwar in Birbhum district, Shah urged voters to respond to violence through democratic means. “Answer the bomb with the ballot. The people of Bengal will respond to fear with trust,” he said.
“You should find the lotus symbol on the machine. Bid Mamata Banerjee goodbye. After May 4, a double-engine government will be formed in Bengal, and a new era of development will begin. This time, Birbhum has to make a record; all 11 seats have to be given to the BJP.”
Shah alleged that the TMC has inflicted atrocities on the BJP workers in Mayureshwar. “Our workers have been beaten up. I am telling all the TMC goons that on April 23, stay locked in your houses; otherwise, after May 5, we will search each and every one of them and put them behind bars.”
Hitting out at the ruling TMC government, Shah said that Mayureshwar has become a godown for bombs and gunpowder.
“I was listening to a speech by Didi. She was trying to instil fear in the majority community that if TMC is not there, then that community’s identity will not be there. Who is she to scare and instil fear? During her tenure, there were riots in Murshidabad, an attack on Ram Navami, and the Saraswati Puja was stopped. Where was she?”
Assuring the people of the state of peaceful and free and fair polling, Shah said, “The time has come when none of Didi’s goons can touch anyone on the day of polls. The EC has over 800 companies to ensure peaceful polls, so no one needs to be scared. This election is in order to remove infiltrators…. it is our promise that not only in Bengal but we will take out infiltrators from all over the country .”
On women’s safety, Shah criticised the Bengal Government, citing incidents such as Sandeshkhali. The Union home minister said that even though there is a woman chief minister, women are not safe in her state.
“Mamata Didi says women should not go out after 7 pm. She should be ashamed that, being a woman CM, she is unable to protect the state’s women. When we come to power, a girl can freely roam around even at 1 am. There will be no Sandeshkhali, R G Kar, South Kolkata law college or Durgapur case. All will be safe and secure,” he added.
Shah further said that once in power, they will implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC).
Shah also attacked the state government over Central projects. “Modiji has given crores of rupees for the Jal Jeevan Mission. But that money has not reached the common people. Where has that money gone? Trinamool goons have embezzled it.”
At the same time, he took a dig at local development, saying, “Such roads have been built here; they can be removed by hand.”
Outlining the BJP’s promises, Shah said that if voted to power, the party would implement the 7th Pay Commission for state employees. He also promised monthly assistance of Rs 3,000 for women and unemployed youth, Rs 21,000 support for pregnant women, and Rs 2,000 pensions for the elderly and widows.
He further pledged 33 per cent reservation for women in government jobs, free bus travel for women, land rights for tea garden workers, free medical treatment up to Rs 5 lakh, revival of closed jute mills, and an end to what he described as “mafia rule.”
Speaking about Santiniketan, Shah said, “Rabindranath Tagore’s house has been demolished and the municipality could not stop it. The TMC cannot protect Bengals asmita… Modiji has given Unesco recognition to Santiniketan and given the status of a classical language to Bengali.”
Shah will also hold public meetings and a road show in Birbhum and Pashchim Bardhaman.