Modi Promises Six Assurances to West Bengal Amid Economic Criticism

Prime Minister Modi's Assurances to West Bengal

On Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the people of West Bengal, offering six key assurances while criticizing the Trinamool Congress for economic mismanagement and law enforcement failures. Speaking at a rally in Haldia ahead of the elections scheduled for April 23, he pledged to restore law and order, enhance transparency in governance, investigate all corruption cases, expel infiltrators, and implement the seventh pay commission. Modi emphasized, "Today, I assure you that the BJP will act in accordance with the Constitution. Everyone will receive their rightful due, and this is my guarantee."

Critique of Economic Management

The Prime Minister sharply criticized the Trinamool Congress for neglecting West Bengal's economic growth, claiming that the state has lagged behind in every development metric over the past 15 years. He remarked that Haldia was once a leading industrial hub in modern India, but factories have shut down in recent decades. Modi noted that people who once came to Haldia in search of work are now migrating to other states for employment. He accused the TMC government of depriving Bengal's youth of jobs while providing opportunities to infiltrators, vowing to end such practices. "There are no factories here now, only factories for bringing in infiltrators," he stated, advocating for a dual-engine government to revitalize the state's economy. He asserted that true progress would only occur when the Prime Minister and Chief Minister collaborate.

Decline in Fish Production

Discussing fish production in the state, Modi claimed that there has been a significant decline during Mamata Banerjee's tenure. His remarks aligned with TMC's accusations that the BJP would impose a ban on meat and fish if elected. He pointed out that while fish production has doubled in other states over the past 11 years, it has not seen similar growth in Bengal. Modi further stated that the TMC government is now compelled to purchase fish from outside the state. He praised the Prime Minister's Fisheries Scheme for boosting fish production in Bihar and Assam, criticizing the TMC for not implementing it simply because it contains the term "Prime Minister." He accused the party of either refusing to implement policies with that name or altering their titles.