Addressing a section of voters in Bhabanipur, the former stronghold of ex-chief minister and TMC leader Mamata Banerjee, which he wrested for the BJP in the Assembly elections earlier this year, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari highlighted his government’s crackdown on public animal slaughter besides listing a slew of measures undertaken since he assumed office.
In an apparent message to the Bhabanipur voters at a closed-door meeting in Alipore, Adhikari said, “We took a firm position over the old slaughter rules and asked to implement the new Act. I can’t say more than this because I am bound by the Constitution. Samajhdaro ke liye ishara hi kaafi hai (A small hint is enough for those who understand).”
Adhikari was referring to the BJP government’s directives for the strict enforcement of the West Bengal Animal Slaughter Control Act, 1950, banning animal slaughter in public places and making fitness certificates mandatory before slaughter.
At the same meeting, the Chief Minister also said, “Follow all religions, but do not block the roads.”
Taking potshots at the previous governments, Adhikari said, “West Bengal fell behind during the Left Front regime. During the Left government’s tenure, only party offices were built. During the TMC government, politics of appeasement prevailed. Funds from the Lakshmir Bhandar scheme were being given to infiltrators.”
Highlighting the steps taken to curb “infiltration”, Adhikari said the very first move by his government was to hand over land to Border Security force (BSF) to bolster border fencing.
“We will not allow infiltration. Hindu refugees are welcome. We already identified infiltrators, kept them at detention centres and then pushed back,” he said.
Listing out the other significant measures under his government in the last two months, Adhikari said, “The BNS has already been implemented in the state. The census work in the state has begun. The Assembly has also passed the anti-goonda bill to bring the goons to the book so that business is not disrupted.
“If a goonda tries to destroy your property, a fine amounting to three times the damage will be collected from the accused,” he said.
He also re-iterated his government’s stance over the implementation of Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in West Bengal.
“A committee has been formed under the leadership of retired Justice Ranjana Desai, and after that report is submitted, a Uniform Civil Code will be implemented in the state,” Adhikari said.
Former Chief Secretary Dushyant Nariala made School Service Commission chairman.
“We had given the people of the state a firm commitment that complete transparency would be brought into the recruitment process and that the recruitment commissions would be freed from political influence and restructured on the model of the UPSC. Accordingly, when the Finance Minister announced in the budget speech that appointments would be made to vacant posts, we had pledged that there would be no political figure in any committee related to recruitment. Our government is determined to fulfill that promise to the letter,” he posted on X.
“To achieve that goal, we have today taken a highly important step. To ensure transparency and impartiality in the recruitment process of the West Bengal Central School Service Commission (WBCSSC), the responsibility of the post of Chairman of the Commission has been entrusted to Shri Dushyant Nariala, a highly experienced and senior IAS officer of the state,” he added.