Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday launched a scathing attack on the Mamata Banerjee government on multiple fronts, from law and order to non-implementation of Central schemes, and asserted that the BJP would win more than 200 seats in West Bengal Assembly polls
The State has 294 constituencies.
“Mamata Banerjee has taken misgovernance to a new low. There has been politicisation of administration and criminalisation of politics. Corruption has been institutionalised. I do not think there is any single State where all the three developments have taken place simultaneously,” he said at a press conference.
The State government had failed on all parameters, he stated and sought the support of people to make it “sonar Bangla” (golden Bengal).
Mr. Shah accused the Mamata government of appeasement politics. He said that there were different sets of laws for “Ms. Banerjee’s vote bank” and for common people.
The government had not furnished the data on crime to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) since 2018. “I want to ask Mamata Banerjee why is she not providing data on crime. What you want to hide,” he asked. Quoting the data from the NCRB report for the 2018, he said the State had recorded third highest crime against women, second in rape attempts and highest in acid attacks. It had the highest number of political killings. The Chief Minister should release a white paper on the issue, he stated.
Bengal polls focus of BJP
Responding to questions on next year Assembly polls, Mr Shah emphasised that the BJP, under the leadership of J.P. Nadda was taking it very seriously. “Yes, there is focus on West Bengal. We will fight it and win the State,” he said.
He evaded a question on projecting anyone as chief ministerial candidate. He said that in a number of States, including in the last Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, the BJP went without a chief ministerial face.
On the differences between sections of BJP leaders in West Bengal, he said the BJP was a democratic party where differences of opinion were bound to happen. “Ours is a democratic party not a dynastic party”.
He alleged that “Ms Banerjee wants to make her nephew the chief minister next term”. It was for people to decide whether they want dynasty politics or development.
He raised the issue of non-implementation of Central schemes like Ayushman Bharat and PM Kisan, saying West Bengal was one of the worst States in terms of implementation of all the 80 Central schemes.
‘CAA will be implemented’
Asked about the implementation of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, he said that the implementation of the law was delayed because of COVID-19.
“The law has been passed and it will be implemented,” he said but evaded any response to if the contentious legislation will be implemented before the Bengal Assembly polls.
On the possibility of imposing President's rule under Article 356, he said that such constitutional issues could not be discussed at a press conference. “The question of imposing Article 356 does not arise because there will be a new government in West Bengal by April 2021”.
Mr. Shah also defended Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar. He said the Governor was working within the constitutional limits and the language used against him by the Trinamool Congress was deplorable.
‘Tradition tarnished’
Earlier, after offering prayers at Dakshineshwar Kali Temple, he said West Bengal had a long heritage of people who worked for spiritual awakening but that tradition was “being tarnished by appeasement politics”.
“The great land of Bengal has had people like Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, Swami Vivekananda and Sri Aurobindo who took the path of ‘Bhakti’ and spiritual awakening. Today in this very land, the kind of appeasement politics which is going on has tarnished the rich tradition,” he stated .
Mr. Shah observed that whenever he visited Dakhineshwar temple, he found fresh inspiration and energy.
“I want to appeal to the people of Bengal that the land which was the centre of spiritual and religious tradition should regain its glory, and for that, every citizen should be aware and fulfil their responsibilities,” he said.
Mr. Shah also visited the residence of well-known classical singer Pandit Ajoy Chakraborty in Kolkata.
On Thursday, first day of his two-day visit, he visited Bankura district.