Kolkata, April 20 (IANS) BJP Rajya Sabha member Samik Bhattacharya on Monday launched a sharp attack on the West Bengal government, alleging a large-scale “exodus” of capital, investment and opportunities, and claiming that the state is no longer considered an investment-friendly destination.

The BJP leader also accused the All India Trinamool Congress government led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of “total absence of law and order” in the state.

Speaking to IANS, Bhattacharya, who also heads the BJP’s West Bengal unit, claimed, “In our state, the fight for capital is on. No investors are coming to West Bengal. They consider West Bengal to be no longer an investment-friendly state. 79,000 companies have been closed in the last 15 years, 1,016 firms are in liquidation, more than 6,300 companies have shifted their head office from Kolkata to elsewhere.”

He further claimed that multiple forms of “exodus” were taking place in the state.

“Everywhere there is exodus. Exodus of money, exodus of capital investment, exodus of students, exodus of migrant labourers, because there is a lack of the primary condition of an investor, which is the judiciary. The judiciary in Bengal is under threat. There is a total absence of law and order, total anarchy. The Constitution doesn’t exist in West Bengal. At this point, nobody is ready to come to West Bengal,” he said.

Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra, he added, “If we compare it with Maharashtra, FDI in Maharashtra is 31.6 per cent, and in Bengal right now is 0.6 per cent. This is the practical scenario. We want investment, we have rivers, ports, sea source, money, merit, and topographical environment. Despite all this, we are not getting any investment or startups.”

Bhattacharya also criticised Mamata Banerjee for alleging that central agencies were targeting the Trinamool Congress, rejecting her claims.

“Trinamool Congress and corruption are synonymous. Trinamool Congress and state-controlled atrocities are synonymous. Trinamool Congress defies the entire federal structure of this country. Trinamool Congress does not allow the Indian constitutional norms to be executed in Bengal. I think people will make the right decision this time. Didi will be defeated on May 4,” he said.

–IANS

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