April 5, 2019
BJP neglected Darjeeling for five years: Mamata Banerjee at Naxalbari
Trinamool Chairperson Mamata Banerjee addressed a public meeting at Naxalbari near Siliguri (in Darjeeling Lok Sabha constituency). She accused the BJP of not doing anything for this region, despite winning the Lok Sabha election from here in 2014.
She urged the people to vote for ‘bhoomiputra’ Amar Singh Rai and not waste it by voting for CPI(M) and Congress.
Highlights of her speech:
We love Darjeeling. Tea gardens and oranges of Darjeeling are very famous
This time, we have given ticket to a ‘bhoomiputra’, a resident of Darjeeling for this Lok Sabha seat
We are grateful to Gorkha Janmukti Morcha. We want to work together, unitedly
We do not want divisive politics, riots, violence or arguments. We want peace.
We want people to get employment. We will work together to build schools, roads, hospitals.
We want people to live in prosperity. We want tea gardens to prosper
Plains and hills are together and united. Bengalis, tribals, Hill people, tea garden workers, minorities – everyone is united
Tea garden workers are like our heartbeats. We want them to be happy.
We nominated Amar Singh Rai from here because he is a go-getter
If Darjeeling prospers, the economy of this region will flourish
Expiry Prime Minister has looted the country – from tea gardens to small businesses
During the 2016 Assembly elections, he had promised to open all tea gardens. But they did not keep their promise
They sought votes on the plank of Gorkhaland last time. After that, they neglected Darjeeling
We requested the Centre for a university in Darjeeling but they did not even grant that. Instead, we have decided to set up a university in Darjeeling instead
Siliguri Safari Park, Gajoldoba, Teesta township, Jalpaiguri Circuit Bench – we have taken several developmental initiatives in north Bengal
As Railway Minister, I gave several trains for north Bengal.
Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh are being connected with north Bengal via a highway. New roads and flyovers are coming up everywhere.
Narendra Modi comes and says nothing has happened in Bengal. Let him first give an account of what the Centre has done for five years
Has the Centre done anything for Matigara, Siliguri or Phansidewa? Has any tea garden reopened?
More than 2 crore people lost their jobs in 2017-18.
They give one cylinder for free and then people have to pay for them. Cylinders are so costly, how will they buy it?
We give a lot of facilities to the people of tea gardens
We respect real chowkidars, not the fake chowkidars
Unemployment is highest in 45 years in India, while in Bengal we have reduced unemployment rate by 40%
We have said in our Manifesto that we will increase the 100 Days’ work to 200 days and the wages will be doubled
We want a permanent solution. We do not want any bitterness between plains and Hills.
Everytime we establish peace in the Hills, BJP incites violence, with help from CPI(M) and Congress
Jagai, Madhai, Gadai (BJP, CPI(M) and Congress) came together during Panchayat elections
Do not waste your vote on CPI(M) and Congress.
We want everyone to live together in peace in harmony. We will safeguard the identities of all communities
Narendra Modi did not pay a penny for the Circuit Bench in Jalpaiguri. From allocating the land to releasing funds, everything was done by us
If he comes back to power all your savings in the banks will be looted.
Those who did not work for you in five years, will not do it in the future also
BJP is spending the money it had accumulated during demonetisation, on elections now
The PM is only obsessed with foreign travel, divisive politics and giving lofty speeches
