Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, the West Bengal Congress president, criticized Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for her visit to Spain amidst the rising dengue cases in the state. He remarked that while she can travel to Spain, she seems incapable of understanding the suffering of the people.
“We had previously cautioned the state government about the widespread dengue outbreak during August-September. This reflects the government’s negligence towards the common citizens. They can visit Spain but appear to be disconnected from the hardships faced by the people here,” stated the State Congress Chief during a press conference in Murshidabad, West Bengal.
Adhir Ranjan also questioned the Chief Minister’s stay in an opulent hotel in Spain during her European trip.
“We’ve heard that the Chief Minister doesn’t accept a salary and supports herself through book sales and paintings. How can she afford a ₹3 lakh-per-day hotel in Madrid?” queried the Congress leader.
Referring to the trip as a ‘luxurious journey,’ Adhir Ranjan further inquired, “What was the total expenditure on this trip? Which industrialists did you bring along? Let’s not mislead the people here.”
He continued, “If even 10% of the funds spent on the Biswa Bangla industrial meet had been invested back, thousands of unemployed individuals in Bengal could have found jobs. We are eager to learn which Spanish companies are interested in investing in Bengal.”
Addressing the Vande Bharat Express trains inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Adhir Ranjan remarked, “PM Modi had promised Bullet trains, but now we have ‘Guler’ (a joke) trains. Vande Bharats don’t operate at their advertised speed, and their fares are higher than those of regular trains.”
Commenting on Shantiniketan being included in the UNESCO Intangible Heritage List, the Congress MP stated, “Shantiniketan doesn’t require any additional certification. It stands on its own merit. First and foremost, we need to ensure a conducive environment for education in Shantiniketan as Rabindranath envisioned. There is a daily ideological clash between RSS and TMC supporters.”
Adhir Ranjan dismissed the recent recognition of Kiriteshwari village in Murshidabad as India’s Best Tourism Village by the Ministry of Culture, stating that the village only boasts of an ancient temple.
He said that “There is nothing in Kiriteswari except that its an ancient temple. They may engage in temple politics, but let them do so… I would like to see every Nawab-era architectural marvel in Murshidabad protected. I have met with Minister Meghawal and submitted a letter regarding this.”
Regarding the passage of the Women’s Reservation Bill in a special session of Parliament, the Congress leader claimed that such actions are taken merely to divert people’s attention from their actual problems.
“The central government introduces two new issues before elections that is the Women’s Reservation Bill and One Nation One Election. Implementing ‘One Nation One Election’ in our country is not simple, and Modi, along with everyone else, knows it. However, it is crucial to address the current issues instead of diverting people from their genuine concerns,” he remarked.
Speaking about the Ramesh Bidhuri incident in the Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan stated, “We have submitted a letter to the Speaker. This represents the BJP’s new approach in the new Parliament, and we condemn how the BJP has disrespected our parliamentary culture. When we speak in the House, we are accused of disrespecting the Prime Minister, whereas it is the BJP that is undermining all democratic values.”
