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Nitin Gadkari on TMC ‘outsider’ jibe: Syama Prasad was Bengali

Gadkari alleged that road development in Bengal had been stalled due to the TMC government's failure to acquire land.

Gadkari said it will be the first-ever elevated urban expressway in India. Its construction will also immensely help in reducing air pollution in Delhi-NCR. (Photo: Twitter/BJP4Bengal/File)Gadkari said it will be the first-ever elevated urban expressway in India. Its construction will also immensely help in reducing air pollution in Delhi-NCR. (Photo: Twitter/BJP4Bengal/File)

Union minister Nitin Gadkari on Wednesday criticised Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for calling the BJP an “oustsider party” despite Jan Sangh (party’s former self) founder Syama Prasad Mookerjee being a Bengal’s son.

Addressing his first party campaign meeting after a ‘Poriborton’ rally in Purulia, the Union minister of road transport and highways said, “We want to unite the country and not divide it. The development and advancement of India is BJP’s only aim. Mamata Banerjee calls the BJP an outsider party but the Jan Sangh, based on the ideals of which the saffron party was formed, was founded by Bengal’s son Syama Prasad Mookerjee.”

Gadkari alleged that road development in Bengal had been stalled due to the TMC government’s failure to acquire land.

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He claimed that youths were deprived of jobs, farmers of fair prices for their produce and people in rural areas of good healthcare facilities in the state.

Urging people to choose a “double-engine government” (a government both at the Centre and in the state), Gadkari said, “What did not happen in 50 years will take place here in the next five years of the BJP rule. On May 2, there will be a change of government with the BJP getting a majority. The leader of the party will be decided the next day and a BJP chief minister will take oath on May 4,” he claimed.

Festive offer

The Union minister said the 84-km road from Bankura to Purulia at an expense of Rs 341 crore had been completed by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), providing better connectivity to the backward areas with Asansol, Durgapur and neighbouring Jharkhand.

“A 74-km road project connecting Purulia with Jharkhand’s Chandil at a cost of Rs 709 crore has been sanctioned, and it will be completed by June 2022. This road will connect Dhanbad, Bokaro, Purulia and Chandil,” he said.

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The minister said a 10-km, four-lane Purulia bypass road had also been sanctioned by his ministry at a cost of Rs 217 crore, and the work order would be awarded by April.

A project for a bypass road at Islampur in Uttar Dinajpur district, the minister said, had been approved.

Gadkari said Jan Dhan accounts of 35 crore people had been opened during the BJP regime compared to the total 3 crore during the previous Congress government’s rule.

First uploaded on: 04-03-2021 at 03:41 IST
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