Shah lays foundation stone for Amul’s curd production plant in West Bengal

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday said the political change in West Bengal was unlike any witnessed in the country since Independence, asserting that the new BJP Government led by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari had revived the quest for “Sonar Bangla” after decades of misrule of the Left and TMC.

While virtually laying the foundation stone and performing the bhoomi pujan for the Rs 700-crore Amul Bengal Dairy Project at Sankrail in Howrah, Shah said he had come to West Bengal “on behalf of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to sweeten the mouths of the people with Mishti Doi” after the BJP’s victory in the assembly elections.

The project will house the world’s largest curd production plant.

“The change that the people of West Bengal have brought about is unlike any political change witnessed in any state of the country since Independence,” Shah said. CM Suvendu Adhikari and senior ministers attended the programme.

Drawing a contrast between the state’s past and present, he said the state was once “a beacon of light” for the entire country in education, culture, spirituality, the freedom movement and nationalism.

“West Bengal was once a beacon for the entire country in every field. In education, it remained decades ahead of the rest of the nation. Whether it was the freedom struggle or the country’s cultural and spiritual renaissance, the state gave India some of its greatest leaders and freedom fighters,” he said.

“Whether it was Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Swami Vivekananda, Ramakrishna Paramahamsa or Maharshi Aurobindo, the state created an extraordinary tradition. Whether it was Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose or Khudiram Bose, West Bengal never hesitated to sacrifice for the nation,” he added.

Shah, however, alleged that the State subsequently suffered decades of political decline.

“West Bengal remained under a Communist Government influenced by foreign ideology for three decades. After breaking free from that, it fell into the clutches of the TMC, who are devoid of ideology, corrupt and criminal. Before our eyes, the dream of ‘Sonar Bangla’ envisioned by Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore was destroyed,” he said.

Claiming that the BJP government had revived that aspiration, Shah said, “After a decade-long struggle and responding to Modi’s call, the movement for Sonar Bangla has begun again under the leadership of Adhikari.”

Referring to his three-day visit to the state, Shah said the Centre and the state government had held detailed discussions on governance and security.

“We have discussed and taken several steps to stop infiltration, strengthen law and order and improve women’s safety,” he said.

Describing the dairy project as a landmark initiative for the state’s rural economy, Shah said it would significantly improve the income of milk producers and strengthen eastern India’s dairy sector.

Taking a swipe at the previous TMC government, Shah claimed it had opposed the entry of Gujarat-based dairy cooperative Amul into West Bengal.

“I had once requested the then chief minister (Mamata Banerjee) to provide two plots of 15 acres each so that eastern India’s dairy production could be developed from Bengal. At that time, I was told Gujarat would not be allowed to enter the state,” he said.

“But this is not for Gujarat; it is for the livestock farmers of West Bengal,” Shah said.

Praising the present BJP government, he said the project became possible because of the political change in the state.

“On my way here, I asked Adhikari for land, and he immediately agreed to provide it free of cost to the Amul federation,” he said.

The Union Minister also said the Centre would work through the Department of Animal Husbandry to further develop the livestock sector in the state and create additional livelihood opportunities.

“Today is a very important day for the farmers of West Bengal. Amul has performed the ‘bhumi pujan’ for what will become the world’s largest curd production plant. Around 1.20 lakh small dairy farmers and cattle rearers will benefit from this initiative,” he said.

The project, involving an investment of around Rs 700 crore, will process 30 lakh litres of milk every day and produce 10 lakh kg of curd and other cultured dairy products daily.

It is expected to benefit more than 1.25 lakh dairy farmers in the state, including over 30,000 women.

The project is aimed at strengthening the cooperative dairy network in eastern India while creating a sustainable market for milk producers in the state.

Adhikari also used the occasion to take a swipe at the previous TMC government, linking the investment to the BJP government’s industrial policy.

“There were people who used to say they would not allow West Bengal to become Gujarat. Today they are sitting at home watching on television that Gujarat’s Amul is investing Rs 700 crore for the development of West Bengal,” he said.

The chief minister said the investment reflected growing confidence among industries after the change of government and reaffirmed the state’s commitment to attracting private investments.

Shah’s programme marked the culmination of his three-day visit to West Bengal, during which he attended official events, including the inauguration of the Museum of World at the National Library, and held a series of meetings with the state government on security and administrative issues.