NDA govt making false promises, BJP party of cheats: TMC

Slamming the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre for making "false promises" of giving jobs to 75 lakh youths in the country, the Trinamool Congress on Thursday called the saffron party one of "cheats".

The TMC credited itself with improving the condition of the tribals in West Bengal in the past 10 years that it has been in power and ensuring their democratic rights and representations.

TMC tribal cell leader Deb Tudu told a press meet here that the same NDA government at the Centre had promised that Rs 15 lakh would be given to the bank account of everyone and that too remains unfulfilled.

"This is a central government which cheats people with false promises before elections. From providing jobs to 75 lakh youths to giving Rs 15 lakh to every bank account, they make promises only to take it back and deceive people," Tudu said.

Highlighting the achievements of the TMC regime since 2011 when it came to power in the state, Tudu said the democratic rights of scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and indigenous people have been established in the state and a democratic environment has been created.

He said the TMC government has ensured more representation of indigenous people in panchayats.

"Before 2011 the economic situation in tribal-dominated areas was characterised by hunger, illiteracy, non-development. The poor people were branded as Maoists and incidents of oppression, exploitation, torture, and deprivation on poor tribals were rampant.

"After 2011 for the first time, the whole of West Bengal, including Jangalmahal (tribal area of the state) changed. There has been a significant development for scheduled castes, tribes and adivasis in the past nine years," he claimed.

Tudu accused the Left parties of turning saffron and called for fighting the 'slanderous propaganda war' that has been started against TMC supremo and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

TMC Rajya Sabha MP Derek O'Brien said in a tweet "What the tourist gang wont tell you. Bengal's allocation for SC/ST welfare more than doubled in the last 10 years, Rs 2024 cr per annum.

He was apparently referring to visiting BJP leaders when he spoke of "tourist gangs.'"

"Union budget saw massive shortfalls in allocations. SC Population: 16.6% Funds allocated: 8.5%, ST Population: 8.6% Funds allocated: 5.6%, Photo ops by henchman of the tourist gang versus work by a diligent CM," he said.

"While the country saw 37% increase in Crimes against SC/ST population, Bengal with second-highest SC population ranked one of the lowest in crimes against SC/ST (SC: rank 27th, ST: rank 24th)," O'Brien said.