Kolkata, March 28: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday released a 35-page white paper from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) questioning the 15 years of governance by the Trinamool Congress (TMC) in West Bengal. The report highlights five major issues, including infiltration, corruption in the system, institutional weaknesses, economic and industrial decline, and the deterioration of social structures.
The white paper claims that out of the 2,216.7 km international border with Bangladesh, 569 km remains unfenced due to delays in land acquisition by the state government, which has facilitated infiltration.
It also alleges that the TMC has operated syndicates to provide fake identification documents to infiltrators to create a “vote bank,” impacting national security and population balance.
Regarding corruption and institutional weaknesses, the report states that widespread corruption and a culture of “cut money” have affected public services. It mentions that around 2 million government employees have not received their dearness allowance, and the seventh pay commission has not been implemented, leading to discontent among them.
The report further accuses the state of obstructing the voter list modification process and ignoring directives from the Supreme Court of India, worsening the situation. Since 2016, there have been over 300 political murders and more than 13,000 attempted murders, alongside incidents of communal tension in several areas, creating an atmosphere of fear.
Concerns over crimes against women are also raised, with 34,738 cases reported in 2023. The report highlights the suspension of the opposition leader in the assembly and the suppression of opposition voices, undermining the democratic framework.
Under the economic and industrial decline section, it claims that 6,688 companies have left the state in 15 years, and 18,450 small industries have shut down, resulting in significant capital loss. The unemployment rate among youth has forced over 4 million to leave the state, with a reported unemployment rate of 47.6% at the postgraduate level.
The agricultural sector is also noted to be in crisis, with issues faced by potato and rice farmers, allegations of extortion in fish farming and dairy sectors, and neglect of around 500,000 tea garden workers in North Bengal.
The report mentions that following the Supreme Court’s orders, 26,000 teaching and non-teaching staff positions in state schools had to be canceled due to irregularities in appointments.
It also alleges a decline in the health sector, stating that the state has not implemented the Ayushman Bharat scheme and has faced scandals involving counterfeit medicines. Additionally, there is a lack of basic facilities in super-specialty hospitals.
Urban issues are highlighted, with deteriorating infrastructure in Kolkata, including illegal constructions, incidents of flyover collapses, and frequent fire outbreaks.