Bengal Assembly Election: Amit Shah is on a two-day visit to Bengal ahead of the elections in April-May next year
Bankura, West Bengal:
Union Interior Minister Amit Shah began his two-day visit to Bengal today by stating that he felt “massive public anger” against Mamata Banerjee and the ruling Trinamool Congress. Trinamool’s “death sentence” had sounded, claimed and launched for a BJP government – elections are scheduled for next year – and they make the “Shonar bangla (Golden sparkler) “dream come true.
Criticizing the Mamata Banerjee government for denying Bengal access to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s welfare plans, Shah predicted a two-thirds majority for the BJP in next year’s elections.
“Since last night (Wednesday) I have been in West Bengal and I can feel the massive public anger against the government of Mamata Banerjee. The death sentence of the Mamata Banerjee regime has sounded,” Shah told reporters at an event in the state district of Bankura.
“We will form the next government in Bengal with a two-thirds majority. We hope to bring change to the state under the leadership of Narendra Modi,” he added, speaking in the key area of Jangalmahal, which is dominated by a tribal population. and once it was invaded by Maoists.
“Mamata I did he believes he can block the BJP by blocking PM Modi’s plans for the poor, “he said, referring to the PM-KISAN and Ayushman Bharat programs.
Shah’s visit has been dismissed as a “political stunt” by Trinamool leaders, including Ms. Banerjee’s nephew, Abhishek Banerjee. The Lok Sabha MP asked Mr. Shah to speak on “real issues”, referring to “atrocities” against marginalized communities in the BJP-ruled UP.
In his tweet, Mr. Banerjee specifically referred to the alleged gang rape and torture of a Dalit woman in UP’s Hathras and recommended that Mr. Shah focus less on “fake appeasement meals”.
In just one year, the atrocities against ST increased fivefold in UP led by BJP and the brutal rape of a Dalit girl in Hathras is still fresh in our minds. Instead of having fake appeasement meals, @AmitShah Hee, why don’t you talk about real issues that matter to the community? #BanglaBirodhiAmitShah
– Abhishek Banerjee (@abhishekaitc) November 5, 2020
Shah had lunch today with a tribal family in Bankura. The food has been dismissed as a “political stunt” by Trinamool, which targeted a similar program in 2016.
On Wednesday, before Mr. Shah’s arrival, Ms. Banerjee granted land rights to 25,000 refugee families and said that a total of 1.25 lakh families would be granted rights, an announcement made a year ago.
“This land right document will act as proof that you are a citizen of this country. No one can take away your citizenship,” he said, while allocating 5 million rupees to the Matua Development Board.
The Matua community of the former East Pakistan, which voted for the BJP in 2019, wants citizenship under the CAA and has been launched since its rapid implementation. Shah plans to share a meal with a Matua family in Kolkata on Friday.
The formation of the Bengal government has been a long-standing goal of the BJP, which has never ruled the state, particularly after a bitter campaign with the Trinamool before last year’s Lok Sabha elections. The BJP posted strong gains in parliamentary polls, winning 18 seats (up from just two in 2014) out of 42 seats, and is now a real threat to Banerjee and his third consecutive term.
Sources say Shah’s two-day visit to Bengal (Thursday and Friday) will focus on reshaping and rejuvenating the party’s organizational structure ahead of state elections scheduled for April-May.
With input from PTI
.
