BJP must for 'chicken neck' region's security: Shah

MANAS R BANNERJEE, SNS, 13 April 21 : Just like Trinamul Congress chief Mamata Banerjee called for change in Bengal in 2011 and promised to make Siliguri a Switzerland, Union Home Minister Amit Shah today promised a metro railway project for Siliguri if the BJP came to power in Bengal. It may be noted here that the BJP has been saying that it wants to usher in a 'real change' and make the state a 'Sonar Bangla'

To take on Miss Banerjee, who is flying hard to tight back alone against all forces of the BJP even after the death of four persons in police firing at Sitalkuchi in Coach Behar, Mr Shah blamed Miss Banerjee for not setting up an AIIMS- like hospital in North Bengal.

"Mamata Banerjee, in the last 10 years, has not set up AIIMS for North Bengal people. If BJP, comes to power, it would set up an AIIMS in North Bengal," Mr Shah told a rally at Nagrakata in Jalpaiguri today.

Notably, Miss Banerjee, after coming to power changed the site of the proposed AIIMS project from Raiganj in North Dinajpur to Kalyani.

Mr Shah also claimed that in order to ensure security of North Bengal, especially the 'chicken neck' region, people should bring the BJP to power "as Mamata Banerjee has failed to check infiltration and other issues in this region."

To appease the Rajbanshi people, Mr Shah assured an alternative project to the Coronation Bridge over the Teesta river at Sevoke, connecting the Dooars region, would be named after Chila Roy.

On the issue of Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), Mr Shah said all refugees in North Bengal will be given citizenship.

Mr Shah further asked the audience to compare the leadership of Mamata Banerjee with Narendra Modi, who, he said, has executed 125 social welfare schemes, "when Miss Banerjee is involved in 125 scams."

He also claimed that Miss Banerjee wanted to make her nephew the next chief minister of Bengal and asked whether the people should accept his leadership.