Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday slammed the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC government, alleging that the “nirmam (ruthless) sarkar” is driving the youth of West Bengal into uncertainty and darkness.
While addressing a BJP rally, the PM referred to thousands of teachers being rendered jobless due to corruption in the government. “Bengal mein machi cheekh pukaar, nahi chahiye nirmam sarkar (anarchy in Bengal, people don’t need the ruthless government,” said the PM.
Stating that the TMC government was involved in many scams, including that of teachers’ recruitment, Modi said the government was not at all sympathetic to the welfare of the people of the state.
He warned that the BJP would not allow anyone to destroy West Bengal and called upon the party men and the youth to get ready for a change to restore the glory of the state.
He said the TMC leaders, instead of acknowledging their mistakes, were accusing others, including the judiciary, of suppressing their misdeeds in the teachers recruitment scam.
“The TMC government is not ready to accept its mistakes in school jobs scam, it is blaming the courts, the judicial system,” the PM said.
He said in recent communal violence in Malda and Murshidabad, hundreds of people were forced to flee for their lives, and accused the police of remaining mute spectators and being biased.
He said the TMC regime only understands the policy of appeasement and is involved in politics rather than doing any constructive work to develop the state.
He lambasted the TMC leaders for skipping the recently held NITI Aayog meeting in Delhi and said that while many opposition party Chief Ministers took part in the discussion, Bengal was absent, ignoring a key development meeting.
“Recently an important meeting of the NITI Aayog’s Governing Council was held in Delhi. This is a crucial platform where chief ministers from across the country come together to discuss development issues. Unfortunately, the Bengal government chose not to attend this time. Leaders from other non-BJP-ruled states participated, and leaders from all parties came and engaged in discussions. But the TMC is only interested in doing 24/7 politics, they have no intention of actually working,” Modi told the gathering.
He also accused the TMC of blocking many Central welfare schemes and denying the benefits to poor and senior citizens under Ayusman Bharat, pucca homes for the poor, and many infrastructural projects of Rs 90,000 crore.
He said Central projects like expanding national highways, railways, including metro, national corridor, and re-development of railway stations have been pending for the state’s non-cooperation in the Central projects.
“The TMC government is deliberately blocking the Central welfare programmes such as Ayushman Bharat and housing schemes, denying essential benefits to marginalized communities, senior citizens, and poor families in West Bengal.” Modi said.
He said the state government’s failure to implement these schemes has deprived the people of free treatment and permanent housing support from the Centre.
“Politics has its place, but why is the TMC targeting the poor, Dalits, backward classes, tribals, and women? Many central welfare schemes meant for the poor, SC, ST, and OBC communities are not being implemented in West Bengal. Across the country, crores have benefited from free treatment under the Ayushman Bharat scheme, but sadly, people of West Bengal are deprived of it. If someone from Bengal goes to Delhi, Bengaluru, or Chennai, they can’t avail of free treatment there, because the ruthless state government never allowed Ayushman cards to be issued to its own people,” Modi said.
“Today, across the country, senior citizens above 70 years of age are getting free treatment benefits up to Rs 5 lakh. I want the same facility to be available to all seniors in West Bengal, too. But the TMC government is not allowing it. TMC members demand cuts and commissions even from the poor,” the PM said.
He condemned the TMC government for ruining the futures of thousands of teachers through a major recruitment scam, calling it a systematic attack on the state’s education system.
