Nirmala Sitharaman slams TMC govt for Bengal's 'decline'

Nirmala Sitharaman. Pic/PTI

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman accused the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government of bringing shame to West Bengal by causing industrial and societal degradation, as well as corruption. She said that during TMC administration, the state's situation has deteriorated compared to the Left regime. She stated that before 2010, during the Left period, the net migration of labourers was positive.

Speaking to important West Bengal figures, Sitharaman attacked the TMC's "Maa, Mati, Manush" slogan, claiming that women, land, and people had all suffered under its leadership. She noted that West Bengal has some of the lowest monthly per capita expenditures in the country, placing sixth and eighth from the bottom in rural and urban areas, respectively, reported PTI.

Sitharaman blamed the state's dwindling industry on rampant extortion and corruption. She highlighted that West Bengal lost a chip manufacturing opportunity to Assam, which has a BJP-led government, due to the absence of a proactive government. "It is the responsibility of the people of Bengal to restore the state's manufacturing glory, which was 24 per cent in 1947 but has dropped to less than 3 per cent now," she said.

According to the PTI report, the Finance Minister also chastised the Mamata Banerjee government for allegedly depriving ordinary citizens. She referred to the financial embezzlement of Rs 2 lakh crore reported by the CAG in 2021 in connection with the school job scandal. Referring to Sandeshkhali, where local TMC officials were charged with sexual assault and land grabbing, Sitharaman said that the government protected the main culprit, Shajahan Sheikh, for 55 days before his arrest on February 29.

Sitharaman decried recurrent incidents of "victim-shaming" in West Bengal, noting the 2012 Park Street rape case and the 2022 rape of a 14-year-old girl. She underlined the BJP government's achievements, such as the development of an AIIMS hospital in Kalyani, the provision of LPG connections through the Awas Yojana, potable water supply, and road construction.

Finally, Sitharaman attacked Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for failing to take action against an AAP leader accused of assaulting Rajya Sabha member Swati Maliwal, stating that Kejriwal was seen with the culprit. She exhorted the people of Bengal to rise and restore the state's former splendour, PTI reported.