Kolkata: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Anurag Thakur on Tuesday accused the West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee of “spreading mistruths” ahead of the upcoming Assembly polls in the state. BJP MP Harsh Vardhan Shringla also blamed the Trinamool Congress for not making enough investments in the state’s fishing industry.
Both Anurag Thakur and Harsh Vardhan Shringla took part in the last leg of campaigning before the first phase of election on April 23.
Speaking to IANS, Anurag Thakur reacted to Chief Minister Banerjee’s allegation that BJP will stop the consumption of fish and eggs in West Bengal if it comes to power.
He asserted that there is no restriction on anybody’s eating habits, language or adopting and following a particular religion in the NDA-ruled states.
“Mamata Banerjee has nothing to speak on the achievements of her 15 years of rule that is why she is spreading fear and mistruths,” he alleged.
“She (Mamata Banerjee) is nervous and struggling as she could not provide jobs which led to migration. Every family in Bengal is now under debt due to her. Now when she does not have any answer to this, Mamata Banerjee has become a machine of lies,” Thakur added.
Moreover, while expressing confidence of BJP’s victory in the upcoming state polls, the BJP MP said, “‘Trinamool Congress (TMC) here stands for ‘terror, murder and cut-money’.’ Bengal will get rid from all these.”
Thakur also defended State BJP Chief Samik Bhattacharya’s allegation that the state is “no longer investment friendly”.
The BJP MP said, “Investment does not come in this state due to the atmosphere of fear and corruption. This has led to bran-drain of youths from here.”
Anurag Thakur also alleged that several industries and listed companies in the state have shut down and that employment opportunities in the state’s informal sector have gone down.
“No new jobs have been created by the Mamata Banerjee-led Bengal government,” he said.
Thakur underlined that the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) will be implemented in the state if the BJP is voted to power.
“UCC will be implemented in Bengal. This is Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s guarantee.”
Meanwhile, BJP MP Harsh Vardhan Shringla flagged the hardships faced by the state’s fishing industry.
While eating fish and rice during an event, Shringla told IANS, “It is a pity that Bengal, with all its access to the sea, rivers and ponds, doesn’t have a fisheries industry worthwhile. When I buy fish in Siliguri, I am told that it comes from Andhra Pradesh, Orissa or Gujarat.”
Accusing the state’s incumbent Mamata Banerjee government of not investing enough, he said, “Fish from Bengal is not available because the Trinamool Congress has not invested in fisheries development.”
Shringla assured that if it comes to power, the BJP government will ensure major investments in Bengal’s fishing industry.
“The state will have a major share in the Rs. 60,000 crore marine processing export industry,” he said.
(IANS)
