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Modi, addressing a public rally in Haldia in East Medinipur, raised the same issue, saying Bengal is not self-reliant in fish production, while other states like Bihar and Assam have seen manifold growth. In several rallies, Banerjee urged people not to vote for the BJP, claiming the party would restrict consumption of fish and meat. “Hilsa fish is now widely available in West Bengal. We have established a research centre for Hilsa production in Diamond Harbour. We have given special emphasis to fisheries to support the fishing community. We have also issued the ‘Matsyajibi Card’ to track and assist fishermen,” Banerjee said.
Banerjee further alleged that the BJP intends to forcefully capture Bengal. “In BJP-ruled states, you cannot freely eat fish, meat, or eggs. If you want the freedom to eat what you like, wear what you want, and speak your own language, then you must vote for Trinamool. What will happen to the fishing community if the BJP comes to power?” she said while addressing a public rally at Minakhan in North 24 Parganas district.
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The PM had said fish production has increased significantly in other states and across the country. Speaking in Haldia, which has a large fishing community, Modi said, “Even in Bihar, fish production has doubled and the state no longer depends on imports from elsewhere. Assam has also made significant progress in fish production under the PM’s fishermen scheme.” Meanwhile, the CM alleged that the BJP had deleted over 90 lakh names from voter lists during the SIR exercise to capture power in the state.
