Trinamul criticise PM Modi after his ‘misinformation’ speech
The Statesman | 31 May 2025
Trinamul Congress leadership today criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for misinforming people about the tea gardens in north Bengal in his speech in Alipurduar yesterday and playing Operation Sindoor for narrow political gains.
Addressing the media, Ritabrata Banerjee, party’s trade union leader and Rajya Sabha MP, said: “It is the habit of Mr Modi to come to Bengal like a migratory bird before the election and misinform people about the tea gardens in north Bengal.”
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He said Mr Modi had announced that seven tea gardens in north Bengal would be reopened. On 28 January, 2016, a gazette notification was published by the ministry of commerce and industry. Again before the 2024 Lok Sabha election, he came to north Bengal and made false promises about the tea gardens in north Bengal. The Centre announced a Rs 1000 crore package for the tea gardens in Assam and Dooars. But till date Bengal has not received a single paisa in this regard.
He alleged that the Centre has not deposited the provident fund contribution of the tea garden workers and even the employer’s contribution has not been deposited.
On the contrary, the chief minister has taken a volley of welfare schemes for the closed tea garden workers. “The wage of the tea garden workers has gone up to Rs 250 per day from Rs 65 per day during the Left Front regime. Ninety seven crèche and health centres have been set up which the owners should have done. “The people in the tea garden belt know what Miss Banerjee has done and in the 2026 Assembly election, Trinamul Congress will have a landslide victory in these areas,” he pointed out.
Chandrima Bhattacharya said the Prime Minister is playing divisive politics over Operation Sindoor. “Instead of giving the credit to the Indian Army for its role in destroying the terrorist hideouts in POK, Mr Modi is behaving in a way as if he had himself destroyed the hideouts.”
Mrs Bhattacharya said the state government has introduced Swasthya Sathi and medical treatment is free in government hospitals. “West Bengal has refused Ayushman Bharat where the state government will have to dish out 40 per cent and the Centre will provide 60 per cent for the treatment of people.
Dr Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar said: “The Prime Minister is doing cheap politics and beating his own trumpet. He should have told in his speech why the Centre is withholding MGNREGA funds to Bengal and not releasing funds to set up houses for the poor.”
She went on to add: “It was said yesterday that there will be ‘Operation Bengal’ just like Operation Sindoor. Are they implying bloodshed here too? If they are equating the two and comparing us with the terrorists, we can assume that they are planning to start a bloodshed here. This is loathsome and condemnable.”