Kolkata, April 7 (IANS) Trinamool Congress General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Tuesday accused the BJP government of failing to honour promises to the Rajbanshi community in north Bengal, alleging that their pride has been hurt.

Banerjee addressed the issue while campaigning in Natabari of Cooch Behar district. He also accused the BJP-led government at the Centre of causing delay in recognising the Rajbanshi language under the Constitution’s Eighth Schedule.

“In February this year, the state government had sent a letter to the Central Home Secretary to include the Rajbanshi language in the Eighth Schedule. However, the Center did not give any proper response to that letter. The Centre is not serious about the welfare and demands of the Rajbanshi community,” said Banerjee while addressing a public meeting.

Banerjee also launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, claiming that the “BJP is using religion only as a shield for politics, they have no real devotion.”

He mentioned the Prime Minister’s meeting at Ras Mela Maidan in Cooch Behar last Sunday and said, “The Prime Minister held a meeting at Ras Mela Maidan, but did not go to the temple of Madan Mohan Thakur. The temple is only 2-3 minutes walk from the meeting venue. Those who claim to be followers of Hinduism do not even express their desire to go to temples and offer puja when they come to political meetings. BJP is not able to fight politically and is doing politics using religion as a shield.”

Abhishek Banerjee also listed a bunch of ‘fragile’ promises made by the Centre. He questioned what happened to the promises made by Union Home Minister Amit Shah between 2019 and 2024.

In his words, “Narayana Battalion in Cooch Behar, Para Military Training Centre named after Chila Roy or a memorial to Thakur Panchanan Barma – the central government has done nothing. The promise of tourism development centred around Madan Mohan, Jalpesh or Kamleshwari temples or the construction of AIIMS in north Bengal has also not been fulfilled.”

On the contrary, claiming the success of the state government, he said, “I am saying on record that whatever development has taken place in West Bengal has been done by the hands of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.”

He urged the people of north Bengal to give their answer to this neglect by the Centre at the ballot box.

–IANS

sch/rad