The Bengal unit of the BJP symbolically launched a ‘Yuva Shakti’ card in the presence of Olympic medalists Leander Paes and Vijender Singh Beniwal at a press conference in Kolkata on Thursday.
Talking about outward migration from Bengal, Paes said, “The question is why the youth is migrating from West Bengal, it is to further better quality of life and job opportunities. The economy, the education, and sports keep declining as the state of Bengal is declining, while in the last 15 years, the rest of India is in ascent… our youth is going to other states for higher studies.”
“Our PM is focused on four Es: education, employment, entrepreneurship, and empowerment. We need to be better, and we need to make Bengal great again. Today, we are getting left behind. The migration from West Bengal needs to change,” he added.
Comparing sporting infrastructure between Haryana and Bengal, Beniwal said, “In the 11 years of the BJP government, over 1,200 coaching centres have been built and the sports budget is Rs 600 crore in Haryana. In Bengal, the sports budget is not much, and there are not many coaches. In Bengal, the services are not reaching the youth.”
Meanwhile, the TMC has filed a written complaint with the Election Commission against former Union minister Smriti Irani, Bengal Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, and other members of the BJP for announcing the ‘Matrishakti Bhorsa’ card on Wednesday. The saffron party has promised a monthly allowance of Rs 3,000 for women beneficiaries of the proposed scheme.
The TMC letter, which is addressed to the Chief Election Commissioner and the Chief Electoral Officer of West Bengal, states, “They have been distributing forms of the said newly introduced scheme at various places… Such acts constitute a grave violation of the MCC (Model Code of Conduct) and the rules and regulations prescribed by the ECI.”
The TMC alleged that under the garb of such announcement, women are being induced to fill and submit forms, pursuant to which money is being disbursed, either through direct bank transfers or in cash.
“The operation appears to be organised and widespread, involving multiple individuals acting in concert, thereby evidencing a deliberate and premeditated strategy. The targeted beneficiaries, primarily women from economically vulnerable sections, are particularly susceptible to such inducements, underscoring an unlawful attempt to secure electoral advantage through material gratification and undue influence. Such conduct strikes at the very foundation of free and fair elections by compromising the independence of the voter’s choice and vitiating the level playing field among contesting parties,” the complaint alleges.
“The aforesaid acts constitute ‘corrupt practice’ within the meaning of Section 123 of the RPA, 1951, and attract penal liability under Sections 61(2)/173/174 of the BNS, 2023. Any delay in taking decisive action would risk causing irreversible harm to the integrity of the electoral process and the democratic framework,” it further states.BJP