Kolkata, March 26 (IANS) Trinamool Congress all India general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Thursday held a public rally in Dhupguri, Jalpaiguri district, to campaign in support of its candidate Nirmal Chandra Roy.

He said that this election is not merely a battle to form a government but rather to express the people’s grievances, register their protest, and deliver a fitting reply to the anti-people policies of the BJP.​

From the rally stage, Banerjee launched an attack against the BJP-led government at the Centre, criticising several of its decisions. ​

He alleged that everything from demonetisation to the restrictions imposed during the pandemic has subjected the common people to immense suffering. ​

He argued that the ruling party at the Centre has repeatedly forced people to stand in queues. ​

Therefore, the time has now come to deliver a fitting reply to this experience on election day itself.​

“Demonetisation, the COVID lockdown, the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, and now the cooking gas price hikes... the BJP government has made people stand in queues on a whim,” Banerjee said. ​

“On the day of the election here on April 23, stand in a queue one last time to deliver a reply to the very party that has subjected you to such harassment.”​

The Trinamool leader further said that obstacles have been deliberately created regarding the state’s rural and urban development projects. ​

He alleged that Central allocations for critical sectors such as housing construction, road development, drinking water service, and employment generation have been withheld. ​

He asserted that under these circumstances, if the BJP comes seeking votes, they should be confronted directly with the question, “How dare they come before the public,” after causing such harassment.​

He also highlighted various welfare schemes implemented by the Mamata Banerjee government. ​

Specifically regarding financial assistance for youth, he said that the state government provides Rs 1,500 per month under the Yuba Sathi scheme, amounting to Rs 18,000 annually and Rs 90,000 over a five-year term. ​

He challenged the PM Modi government to provide even Rs 9, adding that in the last 12 years, not even 9 paise has reached anyone’s pocket.​

--IANS

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