In a restrained but politically loaded speech, the Chief Minister of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee, has said that her policies to “stand by the poor” is making her unpopular among a section, while simultaneously focussing on the need to attract investment for industries. On one hand she targeted the Central Government for its “anti-poor” policies, but was careful enough to avoid names of any party of individual. She made a nearly 30 minute long speech in the Mati (Earth) Festival sponsored by the State Government, in Bardhaman District.
Only a couple days before her trusted lieutenant and second-in-command in the party, Mukul Roy’s scheduled appearance before the CBI officers, the Chief Minister launched a counter attack against her political opponents, claiming that her “pro-poor” policies are making her a pariah among the rich and the powerful. “I am constantly subjected to unfair treatment and abuse and let me tell you why. If I provide further protection to all those, whose interests are already protected, they will start worshipping me. But I refuse to compromise with the interest of the poor,” she said and clarified that her policies will continue to comfort the “poor.”
“I am incapable of resisting the poor. If I am abused for being pro-poor, let it be, but I will not leave the poor,” she said. Targeting the Union Government, Ms Banerjee said that country’s policy makers are no more interested to “look after” the interest of the people below the poverty line. “Central assistance for the 100 day’s work is not reaching the State, the welfare budgets are facing a cut, while the cost of power, coal, gas or fertiliser is increasing and …please remember that good governance can never materialise by excluding the poor. Good governance has to include the poor,” said the chief of ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), who will be facing a host of elections in the coming months.
However, unlike in the past, while emphasising her commitment to the poor, Ms Banerjee underscored the “need” to focus on the industry. “I am neither keen to leave the poor, nor the industry…will provide the list of the industrial projects in the area (middle Bengal) tomorrow as I inaugurate the Trade Fair in Malda tomorrow,” she said.
