State education and parliamentary affairs minister Partha Chatterjee The Trinamool Congress (TMC) government has decided to convene a special Assembly session on January 27 to discuss the Centre’s farm laws that are being opposed by farmers camping on the Delhi border.
State education and parliamentary affairs minister Partha Chatterjee on Friday said the Goods and Services Tax (GST) would also be discussed at the special session.
“A special session of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly will be held on January 27, issues such as farm laws and GST will be discussed,” said the senior TMC leader.
Asked if all the parties other than the BJP would come together to pass a resolution against the farm laws, Chatterjee said he would send a letter to the Left and the Congress to seek their support for such a resolution. “I think they will support the issue as it is for farmers,” he added.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has asked the Centre to withdraw the laws, and said the TMC would seek the support of other parties for the resolution against the farm legislation.
Partha Chatterjee said while the Mamata Banerjee government took steps to create jobs and reach out to people with benefits of state-run welfare schemes, the BJP pursued “destructive politics”.
He added, “All they [BJP] are busy with is having tea in the morning and plotting ways to tarnish Bengali culture in the evening. Our government has gone to every locality, every doorstep and listened to the problems faced by people. We have not only outlined our programme but have implemented and executed it successfully.”
The minister alleged that attempts were being made to discredit the government’s successes through “fake news and character assassination”.
“Unemployment has significantly decreased in Bengal as compared to the rest of the country. The Swasthya Sathi [health] scheme has also been a historic success. The entire world has taken note of the scheme,” said Chatterjee. Taking a dig at leaders who recently quit the ruling party and joined the BJP, Chatterjee said, “Those defectors have no agenda.”
Asked about TMC political advisor Prashant Kishor, the minister asked, “If our party has decided to appoint him as a strategist, where is the harm in that?”
Chatterjee said, “TMC workers have taken an oath to develop Bengal by standing beside Mamata Banerjee. The wheels of success and development are pushing our victory chariot forward.”