Kolkata: Union home minister Amit Shah on Monday promised a Rs 5,700 crore package for women, implementation of seventh pay commission benefits in 45 days, and filling of govt job vacancies within a year if BJP forms govt in Bengal after the elections.Defence minister Rajnath Singh promised an unemployment-free and debt-free state in 10 years of BJP govt while Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis pointed out Bengal’s economic problems. All three are in Bengal as part of the party’s Poriborton Yatra, a series of campaigns taking place throughout the state.Speaking at a Poriborton Yatra rally at Mathurapur in South 24 Parganas, Shah said vacancies at govt offices would be filled within Dec 26 and that BJP would reinstate the “permanent vacancies” that were suspended by the present govt in two months of assuming office.“Thousands of youths missed the opportunity to apply for govt jobs as posts were kept vacant. BJP will provide a special relaxation of five years for recruitment,” said Shah.Singh, speaking at a rally in Howrah’s Amta, said, “We will need 10 years to end unemployment in the state. Every child in the state is born with a Rs 81,000 debt burden and the state is facing a deep financial crisis. We will ensure Bengal is debt free in 10-15 years.”Fadnavis, who was speaking at a rally in Birbhum’s Hasnan, pointed out that while his state receives 37% of foreign direct investment, Bengal gets a little over 0.6%.“Seven thousand companies left Bengal in five years and 37 listed firms downed their shutters. While Bengal was once third in contribution to the country’s GDP, it’s now at the 22nd position,” he said.“While 95% MoUs are implemented in Maharashtra, only 3% are implemented in Bengal. Over the past 15 years, Bengal has turned into a graveyard for investments,” he added.Shah, in his speech, said the special Rs 5,700-crore package would be given for dedicated schemes to ensure dignity, safety, economic independence and social security of women.Taking aim at the state govt, Shah said, “Trinamool does not want welfare of people, but only thinks of ways to benefit Abhishek Banerjee. They want to make him CM. If people make the mistake of voting for Trinamool again, it won’t be Didi’s govt but ‘Bhaipo’s’.” He alleged that appeasement politics had prompted the state govt to allocate Rs 5,700 crore for madrassas but a meagre Rs 80 crore for science and technology.The Union home minister further said: “Didi is building temples now. But when we invited her to Ram Mandir, Kashi Vishwanath corridor or Mahakal corridor, she refused to go. She has sent Humayun Kabir away and he is building Babri Masjid now. She should know that both Hindus and Muslims have seen her true face.”Talking about citizenship for those who left Bangladesh due to religious persecution, Shah said, “Had she (CM Mamata Banerjee) not opposed the Citizenship Amendment Act, each and every Hindu refugee would have received citizenship by now. But with Modi govt at the Centre, no one can take their citizenship away.”In response to CM Banerjee’s comment that BJP’s Poriborton Yatra was aimed at seizing power, Shah said “poriborton” is not limited to change of CM but change for a Bengal free from infiltration, porous borders, corruption, syndicates, insecurity among women and dynastic rule.
