Mamata Banerjee: NDA govt indifferent with necessities of West Bengal people

Hooghly, Apr 30 West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Tuesday accused the NDA government for being "indifferent to the needs of the people" of her state, claiming that rehashed solicitations to the Center for approval of several projects have fallen on deaf ears.

In a searing attack on the prime minister, she also said that Narendra Modi's guarantee of bringing 'achche commotion' to the nation was "phony and empty".

"What has he (Modi) accomplished for the general population over the most recent five years? Ranchers are ending it all and joblessness is on the ascent. The cost of gas chambers have expanded from Rs 450 to Rs 1000. The executive, it appears, isn't worried about any of these issues," he said.

Iterating that her attempts to bring about development in the state have been stalled by the Center on several occasions, Banerjee said her legislature had been trying to acquire Dunlop (ailing tire factory) here, but the NDA government has not cooperated in the issue.

"Over the last three years, I have been trying to take over Dunlop. All I need is a mark from the Center. That also is pending," she guaranteed.

The Trinamool Congress supremo also said that she had been pushing for an adjustment in the state's name - from West Bengal to Bangla - to avoid it from appearing at the bottom of lists prepared alphabetically.

"Even that proposal is still lying with the Centre," Banerjee noted.

Continuing her tirade against Modi, she stated, "See state-claimed BSNL. About 50,000 people will lose their positions. When I was the railways minister, I took the initiative to bring Burn Standard under the ministry.

"The PM, however, is indifferent to the needs of the general population of Bengal, despite the fact that he asserts that 'achhe din' has arrived," she added.