The scheduled inauguration of a Birla paint factory in Kharagpur, West Midnapore, by chief minister Mamata Banerjee was suddenly suspended on Wednesday afternoon, with her obliquely blaming the BJP for the no-show.
Mamata suggested that industrialist Kumar Mangalam Birla, chairman of the Aditya Birla Group, might have decided to skip the inauguration of his group’s new paint manufacturing facility under external pressure.
The event was supposed to be attended by Kumar Mangalam and Birla Opus Paints CEO Rakshit Hargave. However, Birla purportedly informed Mamata that he would be unable to attend because of health reasons.
On Wednesday, the news of postponement was shared by Mamata upon her return to Calcutta from north Bengal.
On the reason behind the sudden cancellation, the chief minister alleged that “a highly-loaded virus” was responsible for the development, but refrained from naming anyone directly.
Speaking to journalists at the Calcutta airport, Mamata said: “I said at the press conference yesterday (Tuesday) that I would inaugurate the Birla Opus paint factory on Thursday. But within half an hour of saying that, I received a message that the programme had been cancelled. They have cancelled it for now citing the physical illness of one of them. It was said that it will happen later.”
She added: “I don’t want to blame them. I understand there is a highly-loaded virus behind this. They are threatening everyone.”
After these remarks, Mamata appeared to take aim at the BJP, saying: “There has been a step-motherly attitude every time. They will finish the country. This is a government of arrogant people. Remember, nothing is permanent.”
The Birla Opus paint factory has been built in the Vidyasagar Industrial Park near NH16 under the Chowringhee area of the Kharagpur rural police station. The facility, constructed on 86 acres of land, involves an investment of ₹1,000 crore and is expected to generate direct and indirect employment for around 2,000 people.
The factory will produce a wide range of products, including water and solvent-based decorative paints, wood finishes and wall coverings.
Local Trinamool leaders said they had little clarity about the exact reason behind the postponement.
A party MLA from West Midnapore district said: “I heard that Kumar Mangalam Birla fell ill, which led to the postponement of the inauguration. That’s all we know.”