BOKARO: Asserting that Bangladeshi infiltrators are a major concern for Jharkhand, BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari on Tuesday accused West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of not providing land to the BSF for fencing work due to her "appeasement politics".
Adhikari, the leader of opposition in the West Bengal assembly, arrived in Jharkhand earlier in the day to take part in the BJP's 'Parivartan Yatra' in Dhanbad district.
"There are 72 places in West Bengal, where the Mamata Banerjee government did not provide land to the Border Security Force (BSF) to complete fencing along the international boundary with Bangladesh.
The Ministry of Home Affairs had urged her to provide land, but she didn't give plots only for vote bank and appeasement politics," Adhikari told reporters in Bokaro.
He claimed that the Bangladeshi infiltrators were "entering West Bengal through the unfenced areas and their population has risen to 35 per cent in the state."
"To protect Jharkhand and West Bengal from Bangladeshi infiltrators, a double engine government is required. The infiltrators are posing a big threat to Hindu society and tribals in Jharkhand," Adhikari said.
The term 'double engine' is used by BJP leaders to refer to the party being in power at the Centre as well as in a state.
Adhikari cautioned that if the INDIA bloc returns to power in Jharkhand, there would be a "threat to nationalism, Hindu culture, tribal and original inhabitants of the state".
He claimed that the people of Jharkhand would vote for the BJP for development of the state.
"There are around 90 lakh Bengali-speaking people in Jharkhand and 90 per cent of them would cast their vote on the BJP's symbol of lotus," he asserted.
Later, addressing the 'Parivartan Yatra' in Dhanbad, Adhikari said the Hemant Soren government in Jharkhand failed to fulfill its promises made during the 2019 assembly polls.
All promises such as providing five lakh jobs, Rs 72,000 to every poor family, Rs 2,000 cooking cost to women remained unfulfilled, the BJP leader claimed.
Appealing to people to strengthen the BJP in every booth, he said a new era of development and prosperity can dawn upon Jharkhand if the saffron party is voted to power.
With an eye on the assembly elections due later this year, the opposition BJP in Jharkhand has been carrying out 'Parivartan' processions since September 20 to reach out to people and "expose the failures" of the JMM-led government in the state.
