Kolkata, Jul 25 (PTI) The TMC government in West Bengal is determined to take every community in its development initiatives and does not believe in any divisive ideology, a minister said in the assembly.
BJP leaders like Suvendu Adhikari might believe in such an ideology, Backward Class Welfare and Tribal Development Minister Bulu Chik Baraik said, taking a dig at the Leader of the Opposition.
Adhikari last week attributed the party’s poor performance in Lok Sabha polls in West Bengal to lack of support from the minority community, and asserted that ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’ was unnecessary. Instead, he proposed ‘Hum unke saath jo hamare saath’ (we are with those who are with us).
He, however, later claimed that his comments had been taken out of context as he fully believed in the ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikash’ (Together with all, development for all) slogan of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“We believe in taking along every religion, every community, every group on board in our development mission,” Baraik said, claiming that the TMC government does not discriminate against anyone.
He said, “BJP leaders like Adhikari may believe in such (divisive) ideology. But we don’t subscribe to the ideology. The slew of initiatives by our leader Mamata Banerjee had never been undertaken by any regime in the past. We believe in the secular, inclusive nature of our country and state, and uplifting every community and ethnic group.
Baraik said his government has given ‘patta’ (land deed) to every worker in plantation areas, a large number of them tribals, which had allegedly been overlooked by successive regimes in past.
“Tribals in the plantations at Dooars belt and in the hills are being given full quota of monthly ration after TMC came to power. Some of those who made tall claims about tribal welfare have never done anything to ensure their right to land, right to jungles, right to food,” the MLA of Mal said.
BJP MLA from Joypur in Purulia district Narhari Mahato alleged that the TMC only gives lip service to the issue of tribal uplift, but its promises had never been translated into action.
Mahato said there are not a sufficient number of Alchiki teachers in tribal-inhabited pockets of Jangal Mahal belt of south Bengal, including Purulia despite several reminders to the school education department in the past.
The West Bengal Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes Development and Finance Corporation (Amendment) Bill 2024 was passed in the assembly. PTI SUS NN
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