Kolkata, April 18 (IANS) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, on a campaign blitz in poll-bound West Bengal on Monday, hit out at the Trinamool Congress dispensation over the plight of youth, women, and farmers in the state and called for an end to the ‘dark reign of 15 years’ under Mamata Banerjee.​

Addressing a mega gathering of people in Pingla constituency, the UP Chief Minister said that the youth are troubled, farmers are frustrated, and industries have collapsed, but the Trinamool government is focused only on appeasement.​

Stepping up the attack, he accused the TMC dispensation of pandering to a certain community while adopting different yardsticks for the majority community. ​

He alleged that the sand, coal, land, and cattle mafias are draining Bengal’s natural reserves, but Mamata Didi was only irritated by chants of “Jai Shri Ram”.​

He claimed that the Mamata government restricts idol immersion processions during Durga Puja and also pins the blame on them when they get attacked with stones by hooligans.​

Referring to the condition of Uttar Pradesh before 2017, CM Yogi said, “Chanting Jai Shri Ram once led to lathi charges and even firing, but now devotees of Lord Ram are welcomed.”​

He said that Pingla means “saffron,” and the soil here represents spiritual traditions. He praised Bengal’s farmers, saying their hard work has made the land yield gold and feed the nation.​

Recalling Bengal’s contribution to the freedom struggle, the UP CM said that the spark from Barrackpore had ignited the First War of Independence, and that the national song and anthem were created on this land.​

Taking the names of historical figures like Rabindranath Tagore, Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, Ramakrishna Paramhansa, Lahiri Mahasaya, Swami Vivekananda, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Khudiram Bose, and Syama Prasad Mookerjee, he said that Bengal has historically provided leadership to the nation and must now be freed from Trinamool’s disorder.​

Appealing for votes for BJP candidates Swagata Manna from Pingla and Suvendu Samanta from Keshpur, CM Yogi said Bengal was once known as India’s “golden land.”​

“It had fertile soil, industries, talented youth, hardworking farmers, and strong cultural leadership by women; however, Congress, Left parties, and Trinamool turned Bengal into a poor state,” he said while claiming that the past 15 years saw over 7,000 large industries and more than 18,000 MSME units shutting their shops and rendering lakhs of youth unemployed.​

–IANS

mr/dan

​