Change inevitable in West Bengal after assembly polls: Ashwini Vaishnaw

Kolkata, Mar 7 (PTI) Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Saturday asserted that change is inevitable in West Bengal after the upcoming assembly elections, maintaining that the BJP will form the government, bringing an end to the 15-year uninterrupted rule of the Trinamool Congress.

Lambasting the TMC, he said those who had won the trust of the people of West Bengal some years ago have now launched a vicious attack on the state's pride.

"Change is inevitable this election," he said, maintaining that a BJP government will ensure unprecedented development in West Bengal.

"We have to save West Bengal's pride, it is in peril," Vaishnaw said while addressing a Poriborton Yatra rally at Shrirampur in Hooghly district.

Stating that the people of West Bengal have seen governments run by the communists, the Congress and the TMC, he urged the people of the state "to give a chance to the BJP".

Alleging that the ruling Trinamool Congress indulges in vote-bank politics, the minister said, "Question is arising in the minds of West Bengal's people whether in future, they would be able to celebrate Durga Puja and Kali Puja." "We will not allow such an eventuality," he asserted, maintaining that West Bengal's pride is being hurt by allowing infiltration into the state.

Vaishnaw claimed that while a huge allocation has been made for madrasa education, a much smaller amount has been given for technical education in the state Budget.

He said recruitment scams took place in the state during the TMC regime, affecting West Bengal's jobless youth.

Pointing to incidents of crimes against women at R G Kar Medical College and Hospital, South Calcutta Law College and some other places in the state, he claimed that law and order has reached its nadir under the TMC rule.

"It is shameful that despite having a woman chief minister, women in the state are asked not to venture out at night," Vaishnaw said.

"This assembly election, the people of West Bengal must unite to ensure the youth's future and women's security and throw out those who indulge in vote-bank politics from power," he said.

The Union minister lamented that while earlier people used to come to West Bengal for jobs, now the youths of the state are going outside in search of work.

He said the Narendra Modi government has allocated a lot of funds for West Bengal's infrastructure development, ranging from railways, roads, airports to telecommunications.

"But lack of cooperation by the TMC government is hampering development projects, including the Kolkata Metro Railway," he said.

Stating that the TMC government is creating impediments on one pretext or another, he said, "It seems they do not want Kolkata Metro Railway's development." Vaishnaw also claimed that the TMC supremo, who had led the anti-land acquisition movement in Nandigram in 2007, was now not allowing development of railway connectivity for the town in Purba Medinipur district.

Vaishnaw also announced that Shrirampur railway station would be redeveloped, keeping in mind the city's centuries-old culture and historical identity, an official said.

He said the construction and development plan for the railway station will be designed with Shrirampur's rich cultural heritage in focus, ensuring that the station's appearance reflects the historical identity of the region, the Eastern Railway official said in a statement.

Shrirampur railway station, established in 1854, was part of the first passenger train service in eastern India that ran from Howrah to Hooghly.

It is one of the busiest stations on the Howrah-Bardhaman line of the Eastern Railway.

The ER official said that emphasis will be placed on Shrirampur's connection to ancient landmarks like the Jagannath temple in the city. PTI AMR ACD