Violence, appeasement new normal in West Bengal: Union minister Anurag Thakur

Shimla, Jun 12 (PTI) Attacking the West Bengal government under Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Union Minister Anurag Thakur on Monday alleged that violence, appeasement, anarchy and corruption have become the “new normal” in the state.

Addressing a rally in Kangra, Thakur referred to the “cut-money issue” and reports of the “cash for jobs scam”, claiming that West Bengal was burning. The home state of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose and Rabindranath Tagore was getting a bad name, Thakur added.

“Bengal, where Mamata didi runs the government, is burning. Also in flames is Bengal’s pride, identity and dignity. Bengal, which was earlier known for Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, Rabindranath Tagore, Shyama Prasad Mookerjee, Swami Vivekananda, is getting a bad name,” the Union minister said.

“Violence, appeasement, anarchy, corruption has become the new normal for Bengal,” he added.

“I am saying this because as panchayat elections were announced, the cycle of violence returned to Bengal. You showered flower petals when J P Nadda came here (Himachal Pradesh), but in Bengal, he was greeted with violence. This is the difference. Bengal is known for cut-money, Bengal is also known for cash-for-jobs,” Thakur said.

The minister also hit out at the Bihar government during Lalu Prasad Yadav’s tenure as chief minister.

“Rs 4 lakh for the job of a safai karmachari and Rs 5 lakh for the job of a clerk. This is the same for Mamata didi as it is for Laluji. In Bengal, it is cash for jobs, in Bihar, it is land for jobs. This happened in Laluji’s regime. These governments are such that the label of corruption is stuck on them,” the senior BJP leader said.