Alipurduar (West Bengal): West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee launched a scathing attack on the BJP during a rally in Alipurduar and criticized them for its failure to address the concerns of approximately 10 lakh tea garden labourers.
She highlighted the BJP's indifference towards the plight of tea garden workers and said that the state government agreed to buy tea leaves from the distressed tea garden workers.
"BJP's guarantee is zero. Have they done anything till today? They have won twice. They have their MLAs from here, MPs from north Bengal. They had stopped food and taking tea leaves from 10 lakh labourers from the tea garden. The team garden labourers came to us the day before yesterday. Yesterday I told them that the government will take their tea leaves from now on. We helped 10 lakh tea labourers," Banerjee said while addressing a public meeting at Alipurduar on Friday.
The Trinamool Congress supremo said that as a substitute for the 100-days-work scheme her state government has launched the 50-days-work program that was announced in the state Budget.
"No one needs to do anything for 100-days-work. We have formed a policy for 50-day work called Karmashree. You will get money from the state government. We did that in our Budget," Banerjee said.
The Chief Minister also promised funds for the construction of 11 lakh houses under Awas Yojana and compensation for those who have lost their shops in natural disasters after the elections.
"We will give money for 11 lakh houses being constructed under Awas Yojana after elections. In Alipurduar, Jalpaiguri and Coochbehar, those who have lost their shops in a natural disaster, we have written to the Election Commission for permission," Banerjee said.
Hitting out at the Election Commission which she claims is controlled by the BJP, Banerjee said that they have to get permission from the poll body on every step.
"If it had not been the time for elections, we would have done it in one second. We have to take permission from the Election Commission on every step. Whatever the BJP says, happens. This is too much. Unfortunate. I wrote a letter five days back. Why did they not reply? You do not even have to pay," the Chief Minister said.
—ANI
