Mamata welcomes infiltrators in West Bengal, says Himanta

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday asserted that while BJP Governments in his State and Tripura do not allow infiltration from Bangladesh, TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee “welcomes” illegal immigrants in Bengal.

Addressing an election rally in support of BJP candidates here at Alipurduar district bordering Assam, Sarma also claimed that the TMC Government does not allow fencing on the India-Bangladesh border in West Bengal. “In Assam and Tripura, BJP Governments do not allow infiltration from Bangladesh, but (CM) Mamata Banerjee welcomes illegal immigrants in Bengal,” he alleged. Sarma said a demographic change was underway in West Bengal owing to illegal immigration, and claimed that the population of Hindus is declining in the State, while that of Bangladeshi Muslims is increasing. The Assam CM also asserted that the BJP will “surely win” in the northeastern State, and “score a century” in the 126-member Assembly when the poll results are out. Assembly elections in Assam were held in a single phase on April 9, and the counting of votes will take place on May 4.

He claimed that the Bangladeshi Muslim population increased in Assam during the previous Congress dispensation, but the scenario changed after the BJP-led Government came to power in the State.

Sarma also accused the Mamata Banerjee Government of colluding with tea garden owners to reject an increase in daily wages of workers in Bengal and Assam.

“When she did not announce any increase in the daily wages, we unilaterally hiked the daily wages of tea garden workers in Assam from Rs 240 to Rs 280 along with ration,” he said.

Speaking at this tea garden town in the Dooars region of north Bengal, Sarma said he promised these workers in Assam that the next BJP Government will increase their daily wages to Rs 450-Rs 500. He said tea garden workers in Assam have been given land rights, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi has promised Rs 1.60 lakh each for the construction of houses, while Banerjee “has not done anything for their welfare”.

“How can tea garden workers eat fish or meat with a daily wage of only Rs 240 Mamata ji, raise their wages so that they can also eat such food,” Sarma said.

At another rally in Cooch Behar, Sarma accused the TMC and Banerjee of making false claims that the BJP would stop the consumption of meat and fish if it wins the Assembly polls in West Bengal.

He asserted that one can eat as much non-vegetarian food as one wants in saffron party-ruled Assam. The only restriction in Assam is on the consumption of beef, he said.

“You can go to Dhubri or Goalpara and eat fish and meat as much as you want; there is no restriction,” Sarma said.

“(CM) Mamata Banerjee is worried that once a BJP Government is formed in West Bengal, the beef trade here will stop,” he alleged.

Sarma also invited Banerjee to come to Assam and “eat as much mutton and chicken as she would like”.

The Assam chief minister claimed that the Trinamool Congress (TMC) wants cattle smuggling to Bangladesh to “continue so that they can fill their pockets”.

Central investigating agencies, including the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate, have been probing alleged cattle smuggling from West Bengal to Bangladesh.

Sarma said West Bengal requires a Government capable of providing proper “treatment” to Bangladeshi immigrants, who entered the State illegally.

“We have to make the BJP victorious in West Bengal in this election to ensure this,” he said.

Sarma said that the BJP Government in Assam has ensured that Bangladeshi Muslims do not illegally occupy land in the northeastern State.

Bangladeshi Muslims were evicted from 1.5 lakh acres of land in Assam, he stated.

Sarma asserted that if anyone dares to make an illegal entry into Assam, that person is immediately deported.

“But, whereas I send them back, Mamata Banerjee welcomes them in West Bengal like newly-wed brides,” the senior BJP leader alleged.

Maintaining that Assam’s Hindu population has dwindled to 60 per cent from 80 per cent, he claimed that the upcoming Census will reveal that Bengal’s Hindu population has come down from 70 per cent to around 60 per cent, with an increase in the percentage of Bangladeshi Muslims in the State.

“If the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC remains in power, our situation in West Bengal will be worse than that in Bangladesh,” Sarma asserted.

“Cattle are smuggled from Bengal into Bangladesh, while humans come to India from the neighbouring country,” he said.

Noting that Assam Government employees get 50 per cent dearness allowance, Sarma also said, despite West Bengal being a much bigger State, Government employees here receive “only 22 per cent DA”.

Advocating for the Uniform Civil Code in Bengal, he said the BJP-led Government in Assam would implement the UCC in the northeastern State.

Elections to the 294-member West Bengal Assembly will be held in two phases - on April 23 and April 29. Votes will be counted on May 4.