Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who visited Bengal on Saturday for the first time since the BJP government took oath here, said he felt the state had broken free from its shackles because the era of "cut money" had ended.
Cut money is a colloquial way to describe an illegal commission or "cut" that officials or politicians take from government funds related to welfare or public infrastructure service grants before distributing the rest to the rightful recipients.
"This is my first visit after the elections and the oath-taking ceremony. Fresh air has been blowing in Bengal. I can sense fragrance in the air. It feels as though Bengal has finally broken free from its chains," Modi said while addressing a gathering on the occasion of Paschimbanga Divas at Tarakeswar in Hooghly.
"Paribartan bhalo lagchhe toh? (Are you enjoying the change?) What a single vote of yours and an election can change can be understood by looking at today's Bengal," Modi said.
Modi added in Bengali: "Ekhon cut money sesh. Kaj suru hoye giyechhe (The era of cut money is over. Development work has begun)."
Modi travelled extensively across Bengal during the election campaign and urged people to uproot the Trinamool Congress government and bring the BJP to power. Unlike previous elections, Modi this time attempted to connect deeply with the state's sentiments, culture and deities to convince voters that the BJP would restore Bengal's "lost" glory.
Modi had visited Bengal on May 9 for the oath-taking ceremony of chief minister Suvendu Adhikari and five other cabinet ministers at Brigade Parade Ground.
During his extensive campaign, he repeatedly accused the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool government of fostering a culture of syndicates, criminals and cut money.
BJP sources said the party had specially focused on the growing anti-incumbency against the Trinamool's 15-year rule amid allegations of widespread corruption. They claimed that Modi had played a pivotal role in fuelling anti-incumbency against the Mamata government, as people related to his accusations.
"Those who looted you are now returning the money they looted. Major scamsters are being sent to jail. Members of the syndicates are apologising. Those who used to extort money through illegal toll collections have abandoned those tolls and fled," the Prime Minister said on Saturday.
His remarks came at a time when dozens of local TMC leaders who had allegedly taken money to facilitate government benefits were found returning those amounts. Several senior leaders facing major corruption allegations have been arrested.
Soon after assuming office, chief minister Suvendu Adhikari also ensured the closure of illegal toll plazas across Bengal.
Modi said that decades of misrule by the Congress, the Left Front and finally Trinamool had pushed Bengal behind in industrial growth and economic progress.
"Decades of misrule pushed West Bengal miles behind. You have seen the condition of the state during the previous governments. Large industries fled from here. Small industries and businesses collapsed. The state's resources fell into the hands of infiltrators," he said before highlighting how the new BJP government headed by Suvendu Adhikari had been working at a rapid pace to develop the state and restore its lost glory by addressing all sectors
"Amid all this, you resolved to remove the TMC government. You gave the BJP a record mandate. Today, the entire country is witnessing how quickly Bengal is reaping the benefits of that decision. The rights from which you were deprived for years are now being restored to you," Modi said.
Schemes, Yoga Day
Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted how the new BJP government had been fulfilling promises such as the implementation of Ayushman Bharat, free bus travel for women and various other development initiatives promised during the Assembly poll campaign.
On Saturday, Modi laid foundation stones and inaugurated several new projects related to Bengal. He had also released the 23rd instalment of the PM-Kisan scheme from Tarakeshwar, through which farmers in Bengal received the benefits of the central scheme for the first time. He released the latest instalment worth ₹18,880 crore, benefiting more than 9.44 crore farmers across the country.
According to the schedule, Modi will lead the 12th International Yoga Day celebrations on Sunday. More than 50,000 people, along with the Prime Minister, chief minister and other dignitaries, are expected to participate in the event.
Modi will also commission three indigenously designed and built naval ships — INS Dunagiri, INS Sanshodhak and INS Agray — at the Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port on Sunday after the Yoga Day event.