Shah flays TMC, seeks support for 'Sonar Bangla'

Expressing concern over the anarchic situation in West Bengal, Bharatiya Janata Party chief Amit Shah here on Tuesday appealed for a chance to the BJP in the Assembly polls to build a 'Sonar Bangla' (golden Bengal).

"The condition of Bengal is a matter of grave concern. There was a time when the best of literature, music, spiritual consciousness and the highest number of Indian scientists came from Bengal. What has happened? Is this the reason the people drove out the Communists?" said the Union Home Minister.

On the state's law and order, Shah said while in other parts of the country the government ran the administration, in Bengal "there is anarchy". The situation must change, he added.

Reeling off data, Shah said at the time of Independence Bengal contributed 27 per cent of the country's industrial production and 28.9 per cent of industrial income, which had declined to 3.3 per cent and 4.2 per cent, respectively.

In 1947, the state contributed 70 per cent of the pharmaceutical production, which had gone down to below 6 per cent, he said. In terms of bank deposits, Bengal's share had fallen from 22 per cent to 6.3 per cent in 72 years, he added.

Expressing gratitude to the people for giving the BJP 18 Lok Sabha seats in the state this year, he said it contributed to the party's tally crossing 300 for the first time. "By giving us 18 seats the people of Bengal have expressed their desire for a change. I am sure in the next Assembly elections under Narendra Modi's leadership the BJP will form government here," he said.

Taking on the Mamata Banerjee-led administration, Shah said only because the BJP got so many seats this time, nobody would dare to stop him from visiting 7-8 Durga puja pandals.

"Earlier, for immersion of idols one had to move the court. Now nobody will dare do that. Similarly, nobody will dare to stop Saraswati Puja, ban Ram Navami procession and Janmashtami celebrations. Now that you have given us 18 seats, you can celebrate your festivals freely. None can ban them," the BJP chief said.

On corruption, Shah said the state had seen many scams, like the Saradha scam and Rose Valley Ponzi scheme scandal, Narada sting footage case, selling of Waqf property and syndicate raj -- cartels forcing promoters and contractors to buy construction materials often of inferior quality at high prices.IANS