BJP hit out at the ruling Trinamool Congress in West Bengal on Friday for demanding immediate by-poll in five assembly seats and election to two countermanded seats and alleged that its wrong policies are hurting the state's farmers who are not getting the benefit of minimum support price (MSP). BJP state president Dilip Ghosh said the polling can take place after the COVID situation improves substantially in the areas concerned.
The Mamata Banerjee government is not allowing schools to reopen, resumption of local train services or gathering of more than 50 persons at a spot. Electioneering will also not be possible just like all other activities, he said. "But it seems the seven assembly segments are freed of COVID-19 … It seems that the TMC government driven by desperation to conduct the by-poll is even ready to declare the assembly segments as COVID free zones. Who has given it the right to play with the lives of people ?" he said while talking to reporters.
Ghosh said the overcrowding of women to collect forms for the state government's 'Lakshmir Bhandar' scheme showed that Banerjee's claim of all round social development in West Bengal is a "hoax". "Had there been actual improvement in the economic condition of people in villages and in urban areas, women would not have to rush in thousands to the (Lakshmir Bhandar) camps to collect a form which will only provide Rs 500 in their accounts every month. This shows the real economic progress of Bengal". BJP spokesman Samik Bhattacharya said the near stampede situation at many 'Duare Sarkar' camps where 'Lakshmir Bhandar' forms are being distributed showed how the women are being exposed to the threat of COVID. "But the ruling party doesn't seem to be bothered about this".
Asked to comment on the clash between Shiv Sena and BJP in Mumbai following the purported comment by Union Minister Narayan Rane against Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, Ghosh quipped that perhaps the ruling party in Maharashtra was "inspired" by the politics of hooliganism introduced by Trinamool Congress in the country. "TMC's culture of creating lawlessness and inciting violence is now being emulated in other parts of the country, like in Mumbai … It also tried to export the same hooligan political culture to Tripura but was thwarted by the people of that state," he added.
On the report about chargesheet being framed against the fake vaccine mastermind in the city and naming of some of his alleged co-conspirators in an FIR by Kolkata Police, Ghosh said TMC MP Mimi Chakraborty, who had advertised the camp and even got herself jabbed instilling confidence among thousands, should also be named in the FIR. About the recent appeal by Bengal Speaker Biman Bandyopadhyay to BJP to work for retaining the sanctity and glory of the state legislature, he said "Our MLAs are not allowed to raise their points in the House about attacks on the opposition. None of our demands are met. We have always been around to extend constructive suggestions to maintain the sanctity of the House, to help it run smoothly. But what is the role of ruling party?" Earlier speaking at a meeting of Bharatiya Kisan Morcha, Ghosh alleged that wrong policies followed by the state government are hurting farmers who are not getting the benefit of minimum support price (MSP).
He said the central government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi has increased the MSP of some crops by almost 1.5 times. But it is not benefitting the state's farmers due to the wrong policies of the Trinamool Congress government and they are being forced to resort to distress sale of their produce. The agricultural policy of West Bengal has been framed keeping in mind the interest of the party workers of the TMC. In the process, it is not the farmers but the intermediaries who are reaping the benefits, Ghosh claimed.
The Centre has reduced the price of fertilizers with the aim to facilitate farmers in getting the right price and Modi has been trying to make the farmers self-sufficient and double their income, he added. TMC state spokesman Kunal Ghosh said BJP is "unfairly" trying to stall the assembly by-poll but with the pandemic situation having "improved a lot", elections to seven assembly seats should be held immediately with COVID-19 protocol. He said the 'Lakshmir Bhandar' project is a unique social scheme introduced by the Mamata Banerjee government to help women has got huge response. "BJP has become scared of the popularity of the scheme".
The TMC leader alleged that BJP has tried to terrorise and intimidate the party's leaders and workers in Tripura breaking all democratic norms and principles. But TMC has been able to win the hearts of people of that state reeling under misgovernance of the Biplab Deb government. Referring to the fake coronavirus vaccine incident, he said those involved in it have been tracked and action has taken against them.
"The TMC government will show zero leniency to those involved in such misdeeds," he said and blamed BJP government at the Centre for not sending adequate vaccines to the people. About the charges against the speaker, TMC Deputy Chief Whip Tapas Roy said BJP did not show respect to parliamentary democracy and traditions in the recent session by creating bedlam during the governor's inaugural address and staging frequent walkouts.
"They should not preach about parliamentary democracy," he added.
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