April 7, 2014
Left took Bengal backwards. Vote for Trinamool for progress: Didi at Balagarh
The Trinamool Chairperson Ms. Mamata Banerjee today addressed an election rally at Balagarh in Hooghly district in support of the candidates from the district: Afreen Ali and Ratna De Nag. While speaking the Chief Minister highlighted the atrocities committed by the Left Front government on the people of Hooghly. She talked at length about the neglect shown by the Central Government towards Bengal. Didi also asked people not to vote for the communal ideology of BJP.
Excerpts from the Chairperson`s speech:
I welcome all those who are present here despite of the scorching sun and heat.
We have started helicopter services in the state and will be setting up a number of airports. We are developing the communication process from one district to another. We are laying stress on a number of developmental schemes.
Hooghly district is dependent on agriculture. Farmers have always been a focus of our policies. They are getting much better prices for their products now. We have made schemes for the weavers too since tant is an important product in this district. Six Marketing Hubs are being set up here. 5 lakh people will be able to set up shops in these hubs.
We have given Kisan Credit Cards to around 28 lakh farmers. We gave pattas to 2 lakh people in two and a half years. 57 lakh minority students received scholarships. We have given cycles to girl students. I started two railway factories in Dankuni as Rail Minister. We are also setting up ITIs in every block and polytechnic colleges in every sub division.
We have already started a Kisan Bazar named after Tapasi Malik at Singur. A trauma care centre is being set up there. Fair price medicine shops have already been set up. Poor people are getting medicines for free at rural health centres. Ambulance service for rural people in distant areas is now a reality.
We have started the Kanyasharee and Yuvashree schemes. Kanyashree has now 9 lakh applicants and our target is reaching out to 16 lakh girls. One lakh youth have enrolled in the employment bank. We have started the Sishusathi scheme for free heart operations of children. We have set up Milk Banks for babies.
We are setting up an environment-friendly eco-tourism centre at Sobuj Dweep. A big coal hub and industrial estate is coming up at Bardhaman. 5 lakh people will get employment here besides industrial hubs in Bardhaman and Panagarh.
During teacher recruitment, 10% of those recruited will be parateachers. We have started reservation for backward classes and minorities without touching General category seats. We have devised a policy for economically backward sections of the society.
We are working hard for the people. It is the faith of people on us that has brought us here. We cannot let them down. The Opposition only sits in TV studios and criticizes us. What work have they done during their tenure?
BJP-CPI(M) and Congress are all together. BJP talks of smaller states for better governance. Why is Jharkhand still so backward? Darjeeling is the pride of Bengal. It is an integral part of the State. We will not let anyone divide Bengal. Darjeeling is smiling. Jangalmahal is smiling. My Adivasi brothers and sisters are happy.
We have not forgotten about the atrocities committed on the people in Hooghly during previous regime. There are so many channels today covering every small incident across Bengal today. There was no coverage during Left rule. They talk about free and fair elections now. Everyone knows how free elections were when they were in power. The Left regime took Bengal backwards in every sphere – from education to industry. They betrayed the farmers.
We were number 1 in MNREGA. The Centre has stopped paying us funds for 100-days job scheme. We do not need alms from the Centre. We are asking for our right, not begging for money. Some people say Gujarat is the model for India. NO. Bengal is doing better than Gujarat. Infant mortality rate in Gujarat is 42%. In Bengal it is only 31%. Bengal is ahead of Gujarat in MSME sector. Our growth was 105%. Gujarat is below 50%.
Despite paucity of funds, we are working hard for people. They are our assets. We have faith in people. The Left Government has made huge loans. Why do we have to bear the brunt of the debt them? Why is the Centre not paying us funds we deserve? The Centre has not paid us Rs 86000 crores. Had they not taken away the funds, we could have done a lot of work. There are zero mandays lost now in the state.
In two and half years we have opened 31 colleges. 66 years after independence, there were only 38 opened. We have set up 8 universities in 2.5 years. Left opened only 2 in 34 years. We give rice at Rs 2 per kilo to 3.2 crore poor people in the State. We will convert Bengal into a global model in future. We will become Biswa Bangla.
I will continue to serve people till my last breath. I have never compromised in my fight for the people. I have no family. The Ma, Mati, Manush are my family. When I am on the chair of Chief Minister, I do not discriminate between people based on caste, creed, religion or gender. A true leader works for all. They are acceptable to all sections of the society. We follow the ideals of Ramkrishna Paramhansa. He preached about equality of all religions.
The Centre hiked the prices of petrol, diesel, kerosene, LPG. They have sold the country. BJP is a party of rioters. They want to divide the nation. We cannot allow that. We want peace & progress. We will not allow politics in the name of religion. We will not tolerate division of people for the sake of votes. Just like I participate in Durga Puja, I participate in Eid and Christmas too.
I urge you all to vote for joraphool. Vote for Trinamool for making Bengal the number 1 state in India. Give a fitting reply to the malicious campaign launched against us by casting your vote for joraphool.
