Abhishek Banerjee criticises demonetisation, SIR over public inconvenience

Kolkata, Jan 3 (IANS) From demonetisation in 2016 to the current Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in West Bengal, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Union government have developed a habit of forcing people to stand in queues, Trinamool Congress general secretary and party Lok Sabha member Abhishek Banerjee said on Saturday.

“Almost 10 years ago, the current Union government forced people to stand in queues through demonetisation by floating the dream of recovery of black money. In reality, the quantum of black money increased after demonetisation. After 10 years, they have again forced people to stand in queues in the name of SIR. Previously, the people used to elect the government. Now the government is selecting the voters,” Banerjee said while addressing a public rally at Alipurduar in north Bengal on Saturday.

This was his second election rally in the New Year ahead of the forthcoming Assembly elections in West Bengal next year, the first being held at Baruipur in South 24 Parganas district on Friday.

Speaking on the occasion, he also launched a scathing attack on the Union government for allegedly depriving the people of West Bengal of incoming funds by freezing allocations under the 100-day job scheme of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) to the state government.

“That is the difference between the BJP and the Trinamool Congress. BJP takes revenge against the people of the state where they are defeated by freezing development funds. But the Trinamool Congress pursues the same development works in those pockets in West Bengal even where the party candidates are defeated. Our candidates lost in the Alipurduar district in both the Lok Sabha and Assembly polls. But the state government did not freeze development activities in Alipurduar district. The state government’s welfare schemes have continued there as well,” he said.

He also accused the BJP Lok Sabha member and party legislators from Alipurduar of remaining totally aloof during the devastating floods and landslides in north Bengal earlier this year.

“But our leaders came. We feel that public service has no connection to politics. Now they have started surfacing again because of the Assembly polls scheduled this year. They always act keeping political considerations in mind,” Banerjee said.

He also compared the BJP to a snake. “You keep two snakes as pets at your home. Ultimately, they will bite you. BJP is like that snake,” he added.

src/pgh