West Bengal's original inhabitants will become minority due to infiltration: Nadda

Krishnanagar (WB), Mar 1 (PTI) Accusing the Mamata Banerjee government in West Bengal of giving "shelter" to infiltrators, Union minister JP Nadda on Sunday claimed that the state's original inhabitants would become a minority if the trend continued.

Addressing a rally in Krishnanagar in Nadia district, from where one of the BJP's 'Poriborton Yatras' was flagged off, Nadda alleged that the ruling Trinamool Congress was trying to turn the state into a "hub of infiltrators".

"Infiltration in Bengal has reached its peak. The state is being turned into a safe hub for infiltrators. The original inhabitants of Bengal will become minorities as infiltrators are being given shelter," he claimed.

Alleging a complete breakdown of law and order, Nadda said the TMC stood for "terror, Muslim appeasement and corruption".

Nadda, the Union health minister, accused the TMC government of blocking central welfare schemes, particularly Ayushman Bharat.

"The TMC government did not allow the implementation of Ayushman Bharat in the state, depriving nearly 40 lakh families of free treatment up to Rs 5 lakh," he said.

"We will implement Ayushman Bharat in Bengal immediately after coming to power here," he asserted.

The former BJP president claimed that West Bengal, once known as a land of industry, has witnessed a steady decline over the last 11 years.

He alleged that around 6,628 investors have either left the state or shut down their businesses during this period.

"A total of 870 industrial units were closed in 2015, 918 in 2016 and 1,027 in 2017 and 2018. About 1,300 investors moved to Maharashtra and 1,057 shifted to Delhi," he said, noting that Britannia Industries also shut down its factory in the state.

Nadda claimed that West Bengal's share in the GDP has declined from 10 per cent in 1960 to 5 per cent now.

Accusing the state government of not providing land for the fencing of the India-Bangladesh border, he said infiltration would be stopped once the BJP comes to power.

Nadda said the Centre had given Rs 1.1 lakh crore to the state as a part of tax devolution, which he claimed was 142 per cent higher than earlier allocations, and Rs 37,148 crore as grants-in-aid, over 312 per cent more than before.

He claimed that 11 medical colleges, redevelopment of 101 railway stations and several Vande Bharat Express trains have been sanctioned for the state by the Centre.

"If you want to come out of appeasement, corruption and infiltration and save Bengal, then bring 'parivartan' (change)," Nadda told the rally.

Among those present at the rally were Union minister Sukanta Majumdar and senior BJP leader Rahul Sinha. PTI SCH SOM