Kolkata, April 14 (IANS) Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday accused the Trinamool Congress of helping the BJP gain ground in West Bengal while criticising its government over charges of corruption and violence.

Addressing his first Assembly election rally in West Bengal’s Raiganj, Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, slammed the Trinamool for running syndicates and the ‘goon tax’ system.

“Who is giving a chance to the BJP in Bengal? Who is helping the party? The Trinamool Congress is giving it. BJP does not give money to Bengal. The BJP did not pay two lakh crore rupees to Bengal. It cut funds for MGNREGA and did not sanction any new projects for Bengal in the Union budget. The BJP attacked democracy through SIR. However, Trinamool Congress is also busy with its work; it is not working for Bengal,” he said.

On the corruption charges against the Trinamool Congress government, Gandhi said: “If (Prime Minister) Narendra Modi ji is corrupt, then Trinamool Congress is no less in the race for corruption. Lakhs of rupees were not returned following the Saradha chit fund scam and the Rose Valley chit fund scam. Coal smuggling scam, illegal mining, and goon tax from transporters and collectors are rampant here. People of Bengal do not benefit here. Only Trinamool’s syndicate reaps the benefits, gets money round the clock.”

The Congress leader also slammed the Trinamool for making false promises and unleashing a reign of terror on people.

“In 2021, Trinamool Congress promised to generate 5 lakh jobs every year. How many got jobs? How many factories downed its shutters? How many manufacturing units closed? Recently, about 84 lakh youths applied for unemployment allowance. Mamata ji (CM Mamata Banerjee) says she will give 5 lakh jobs, but 84 lakh youths apply for unemployment allowance. People of Bengal are being fooled,” he said.

Gandhi claimed that the Trinamool government has completely finished industries in Bengal.

Claiming that there is no accountability in Bengal, he said: “If we talk about violence and safety of women, then we have to talk about the RG Kar incident. There is no accountability in Bengal. Here, the Trinamool has given its goons a free hand. They indulge in violence and attack Congress leaders and workers. Here, they murdered our party’s leader, Tapan Kundu. Both the Trinamool and the BJP use violence. Congress is against violence and does not promote hatred. We do not pit one religion against another or one language against another. We believe in uniting people.”

Gandhi was scheduled to hold two more rallies in Bengal later in the day.

–IANS

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