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In this episode of Newstrack, watch India Today's Marya Shakil's ground report from Kolkata as the stage is set for the big battle for Bengal.
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00:00Hello everyone, good evening. This is a special edition of the news track where I'm coming to
00:04you live from Kolkata. Over the next few days, I'll be crisscrossing the entire state to give
00:10you a sense of what the people of Bengal have to say. It's an important election for both the
00:16sides, the challenger and also the defender. Mamata Banerjee is looking for a fourth term.
00:22The BJP is hoping that there would be an upset. Today was the day of the BJP's manifesto release
00:28and Home Minister Amit Shah did the unveiling of the Sankalpatra of the party. Among the big
00:35announcements were 3,000 rupees for the women of Bengal and also the implementation of the
00:42Seventh Pay Commission if the BJP gets the mandate on 4th of May. The party also said that it will
00:48implement the Uniform Civil Code within six months of getting power. And as expected, the Trinamul
00:55Congress came out all guns blazing with Abhishek Banerjee saying that the BJP's intent has to be
01:03questioned. He addressed a press conference soon after Amit Shah's press conference. So what are the
01:10big highlights of the manifesto? Take a look.
01:18The battle for Bengal has kicked into a higher cure. In a high profile event in Kolkata, Amit Shah released
01:25the
01:25party Sankalpatra projecting as a blueprint for Shonar Bangla and a decisive shift from what the party terms to
01:32be years of TMC misgovernance. Front and centre in the manifesto is the promise of implementing a
01:40Uniform Civil Code in West Bengal, a move the BJP says will ensure equality before the law across religions
01:46and communities.
01:48The Uniform Civil Code is under the law. We will be under 6 months of being under UCC and to
01:59the law to become a law of Bengal. They will be entitled to the law of Bengal. They will be
02:07entitled to
02:22The BJP is positioning UCC as both a legal reform and a political statement, contrasting
02:28it with what it alleges is TMC's policy of appeasement and selective governance.
02:32Beyond UCC, the Sankal Patra also outlines a wide range of promises from the 7th Pay Commission,
02:39Rs. 3000 per month for women, deporting illegals, implementation of central schemes in the
02:45state, a white paper exposing Trinambul Congress's corruption, the clearing of pending dearness
02:50allowances, creation of jobs, revival of industries and strengthening law and order in the state.
03:00On women's safety, BJP has pledged tougher policing and legal mechanisms, making it a key election
03:06plank in a state where law and order remains a major political flashpoint.
03:11Amit Shah also took direct aim at Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, accusing a government of blocking
03:18central schemes and fostering a culture of political violence.
03:21Let's see.
03:23Let's see.
03:51Let's see.
03:55For the TMC, the challenge will be to counter the BJP's ideological push while reinforcing
04:00its own plank of regional identity and welfare-driven governance.
04:09Let's see.
04:15Let's see.
04:17Let's see.
04:30With the BJP's Sankal Patra now out, the battle lines in Bengala are clearly drawn.
04:35Development versus identity, welfare versus reform, and at the centre of it all, the contentious
04:41promise of a uniform civil court.
04:43With Maria Shakil in Kolkata, Vera Report, India Today.
04:54Joining me right here at the iconic Victoria Memorial are the people of Bengal, someone who
05:02also represents their political parties.
05:04We have sort of from the Trinamul, then there is Dr. Obrosean of the BJP, and Mehdul Islam
05:10is a professor from the world of academia.
05:14So, before I bring in the politicians, let me get you a sense of what the thinkers of Bengal
05:21are saying, because as we have been speaking about the intelligentsia of Bengal.
05:27So, Mehdul, today is the big day for the BJP, and particularly the party which is being
05:32seen as the challenger of Mamata Banerjee, has set its tone, has given a road map that
05:38this is what it believes it stands for, and they will do if they are voted to power.
05:44Do you see some promise here?
05:46I think the BJP has made the right noises in the election manifesto, though the 3,000
05:52rupees promise, which is a cash transfer, is a direct counter to the 1,500 rupees that
05:58the TMC is now delivering.
06:00And also the larger scheme of industrialization, and big industry, and the employment question.
06:08That has been, I think, quite important highlights of the BJP manifesto.
06:12Remember, the BJP manifesto has been carefully crafted by Dr. Ashish Lahiri, who was previously
06:18the MLA from Malur Ghat.
06:20It's unfortunate that he is not contesting this time because of his health reasons or
06:25because of his old age.
06:26But he's also a very seasoned economist who has been Prime Minister's economic advisor.
06:32And so, I guess it will be an interesting contest of issues.
06:37Okay, so interesting contest of issues.
06:40The BJP is trying to reach out to the women voters of Bengal, who for the most of the time,
06:46Trinamul even today thinks is the captive constituency of Mahmata Banerjee, by topping up 1,500 rupees
06:55for women to 3,000, almost doubling it.
06:57Then there are multiple schemes which have been announced for women, and also 33% reservation
07:03for women in police force.
07:05Isn't this a matter of concern, that if that top up actually is something that the women start
07:11believing in, then Mahmata Banerjee will have tough time?
07:15A bird in hand is worth two in the bush.
07:18People of Bengal, particularly the women of Bengal, they are intelligent enough to understand
07:22this.
07:23You see, promises are meant to be broken, and this particular phrase is perhaps applicable
07:29at its very best upon the BJP, because of its innumerable promises for which we are still
07:34waiting for these promises to be delivered.
07:36In so far as your question regarding whether this will have an impact, I think the people
07:45of Bengal, particularly the women of Bengal, know that what is the plight of women in so
07:50far as the states where BJP is in power.
07:52The concern around safety is real.
07:55RG Kar incident did shake up the conscience of the entire nation, not just Bengali.
08:01Absolutely.
08:02It's not just RG Kar.
08:03In fact, since you brought up RG Kar, I'll tell you that after the horrific incident of
08:07RG Kar, the state assembly had passed the Auparajita bill for which we are still waiting
08:12for presidential assent.
08:15So far as women's safety is concerned, if you believe that Bengal is not safe for women,
08:21then in that situation you will have to question your own data, the central government data,
08:25the NCRB data, which holds Kolkata as the safest city for the fourth time in a row.
08:30And when it comes to crimes against women, the top of the chart, UP, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh,
08:38Rajasthan.
08:38You are from the same fraternity.
08:40You are from the medical fraternity.
08:42The doctors have been...
08:43I'm not a lawyer.
08:44Yes.
08:44But you know that they have been most vociferous.
08:47The doctors have been most vociferous, expressing their concerns.
08:51When you look at the safety issue, do you think BJP really has an argument by saying
08:56that Mamata Banerjee has failed in the law and order, keeping the law and order of the
09:00state?
09:00See, I'll give you statistical data.
09:03Yes, I'm giving you at the bona fide statistical data.
09:07In cases of crimes against women, the pendency rate is above 97%.
09:14And the conviction rate is 2.5%.
09:16This is the pitiable state in our state of West Bengal.
09:19Women do not get justice.
09:21And what have they given the women?
09:22They're just giving 1,500 rupees per month.
09:25That's all.
09:25There's no other commitment on their part.
09:27We are telling we'll give 33% reservation in government jobs.
09:31We'll give 3,000 rupees per month for women.
09:34We'll give free conveyance to women in state transportation.
09:38What more do you need?
09:39The point that has been made here, one in hand is better than two in bush.
09:44That is a promise.
09:46What they are getting in their account is something more substantive, right?
09:50Will they think that 1,500 rupees is more than 3,000 rupees?
09:55It's a simple question.
09:56Don't they know the simple math?
09:58What has the TMC done for women's upliftment?
10:02That is my basic question.
10:03What have they done?
10:04You see the holistic data.
10:06In our state, the per capita income has come down to the level of 24th in entire India.
10:12So why is this so?
10:14And number of companies leaving West Bengal is 7,000.
10:17And 78,000 companies had shut down in West Bengal.
10:21This is the pitiable state.
10:22The industrial corridor and the talks around it, which the Home Minister spoke about,
10:28I'm going to come to it in just a bit.
10:29But before that, I want to understand from you, Saurav,
10:33particularly the impact which is likely to happen because what Mr. Shah said,
10:38that if BJP comes to power on 4th of May,
10:42then they will implement the 7th Pay Commission in 45 days.
10:46That can actually swing close to 3% government workers and those who are employed in government services towards the
10:57BJP.
10:57Again, wishful thinking if they come to power.
11:00So 4th of May will know who's coming to power and who's not.
11:03Having said that, I really want to respond to a couple of points which was raised earlier.
11:08The first is women's reservation.
11:10In so far as, what was it that you said?
11:1333%?
11:14In government services, 33% reservation for women.
11:18Have they got anything to say to that?
11:20Yes.
11:20And if they are going to say anything to that, then they're anti-women.
11:24No, of course.
11:25So 33% reservation.
11:28Now, we don't need this reservation to actually do it on the ground.
11:33I'll tell you why.
11:34So we don't need reservation for women.
11:37So this is your version of women empowerment.
11:40Allow me to finish.
11:41So I'll just tell you simply, insofar as our MLAs are concerned and the MPs who have been sent to
11:46parliament is concerned,
11:48how many of them are women?
11:49That is much above this 33% that we talk about.
11:53Now, the same thing...
11:55See, brother, this is not about...
11:56I'm just asking you one question.
11:58You are talking about...
11:59I'm not interrupting, I'm just simply asking you one question.
12:02You are talking about the women MPs and MLAs.
12:04What about the general women of West Bengal?
12:07What have you done for them?
12:09See...
12:09A number of women can be mere tokenism because you want to send that message.
12:13You know, we have seen...
12:14You don't know, one moment.
12:16You have also sent several women who came from the film industry.
12:21You did not repeat them later, right?
12:23Because you understood that they were not performing members of parliament.
12:26I would vehemently deny this charge.
12:29Obviously, because when it comes to women, you can't question their credibility like this by calling them mere tokens.
12:37No.
12:37It is not like that.
12:38Having said that, when it comes to women in other spheres here, MSME data I'll give you.
12:47India's number one women-led MSME is Bengal.
12:52And this is, again, central government data.
12:55The chief minister of this state is a woman.
12:58We know what it is.
13:00Here, Mahadurga is worshipped.
13:03Mahakali is worshipped.
13:04So, this masculine Hindutva inherently is something which is opposed to the eternal culture of Bengal.
13:13We are not talking about Hindutva here.
13:15We are talking about the gender.
13:16He is missing the entire point.
13:18He is missing the entire point.
13:19We are talking about 33% reservation for women in government service jobs.
13:24What is the problem with that?
13:25They should come out in the open and support that because it is a positive step.
13:29Of course.
13:29Of course.
13:30There is no problem.
13:30What should be the problem?
13:31More and more women coming into the workforce.
13:33But I am going to talk about 7th pay commission.
13:347th pay commission, Mehdul.
13:36What is likely to be the impact of that?
13:38So, the 7th pay commission in West Bengal means the 8th pay commission in the central government.
13:42So, of course, the middle class, which is formal sector middle class, is unhappy with
13:47the Srinamul right from the 2016.
13:49And all the CSDs post post data survey, it suggests that the former middle class is against Srinamul.
13:54And the entire AGIC or agitation was also where the former middle class kind of mobilized.
13:59You know, the former middle class was mobilized.
14:01So, this 3% is a very, very good kind of a, could be a major kind of addition to
14:08the
14:08KITI to the BJP.
14:09You are expecting that could switch?
14:10That could, that could one.
14:12But the important thing is that, and the question, the big question is that, first of all, the
14:188th pay commission has not been implemented.
14:20And even in the central government, the 7th CPC, a lot of institutions have not, they
14:24received their own 7th CPC.
14:25And people will also question that, when there are enormous lacks of vacancies in the central
14:32government, particularly in the railways, in post and telegraphs, in central universities,
14:36what is the promise that the BJP is actually making?
14:39So, there is a kind of, in terms of delivery in the central government, and when they promise
14:43in Bengal, people will try to kind of, you know, in a way compare that.
14:47And the last thing I want to do, 33% reservation for women in government sector is a very big
14:53populist move.
14:55The question is the legality of that.
14:57You have a 50% court, a kind of ceiling where you can't have.
15:01So, if there are 33% women, what will happen to the caste based reservation?
15:06Like the SC and the ST.
15:07Does it really get impacted?
15:08It doesn't get impacted.
15:10I think the problem here is women getting reservation.
15:13These people have a problem with that.
15:14But that should not be the case.
15:16I am telling you, I am telling you, we have said clearly in our manifesto that one crore
15:21jobs will be delivered within a span of five years.
15:24And not that so.
15:26The other things are, the aspirants who are looking for jobs, they will be getting a benefit
15:32of 3,000 per month from BJP government.
15:36Plus, aspirants who are preparing for government service examinations will get a one-time 15,000
15:41rupees monetary support.
15:43What more do you want?
15:45Everything that people are aspiring for today, for the youth, aspiring for today, will be
15:50delivered by the BJP government.
15:52But my question is, in the last 15 years, what has the TMC done?
15:56Why have so many companies fled West Bengal?
15:59Why have so many companies closed down?
16:01Why has the per capita income come down to 24th rank?
16:05They should answer.
16:06You know, the cut money culture or the syndicate culture, which the BJP keeps talking about,
16:11it seems that you don't have an answer to that.
16:13It almost seems to be institutionalized and normalized in the context of Bengal.
16:19No, I understand the concern which you are raising.
16:23But before I address this, I would really like to respond to the two points which have been made.
16:28One, is that you are consistently talking about 3,000 rupees vis-a-vis 1,500 rupees.
16:36Look at the fallacy of this argument.
16:39When we put out social welfare schemes, the BJP is the first person to first party to stand up and
16:45oppose us.
16:45And now they are simply copying our schemes, increasing the amount.
16:49Like I said, bird in hand is worth two in the bush.
16:52So BJP and its promises can keep happening.
16:55People of Bengal will see through all of this and you will see what happens on the 4th of May.
17:00No, but the point has been made in the context of the youth.
17:03In the context of the youth of Bengal, the concerns are of youth moving outside Bengal.
17:10Migration is a matter of concern because there are no job opportunities.
17:15I agree that migration, brain drain, all of this are real issues.
17:20And we have been trying our level best to do what we can.
17:25Because if you look at the GDP, simply the GDP, we are the sixth largest in the nation, right?
17:33When you take the MSME data, we are number one.
17:36When you take startups, once again we fare towards the top.
17:40Of course, I am not getting into the human development indices, which internationally we are not doing very well.
17:46But Bengal vis-a-vis the national numbers, we are doing very well.
17:51When it comes to unemployment, the national average is 4.5.
17:55Whereas we are roughly at around 3.45.
17:59So we are below national average.
18:01So this kind of picture that is being painted in front of you...
18:04You're not giving the right picture.
18:05He is giving a wrong data.
18:06Secondly, if so much development has happened in West Bengal,
18:10again I ask the same question, why has the per capita income come down like this?
18:14If there is so much development, where is industrialization?
18:17You do Bengal business summits, you sign MOUs and nothing gets executed.
18:22He should answer about that.
18:23There is lack of industries in West Bengal and no new jobs are being generated.
18:27That's why people are migrating to other states.
18:30I have just enough time for the last word to someone who will be seen as non-aligned to any
18:39political party.
18:41I think the story is in between.
18:45There are of course very legitimate concerns about industrialization and unemployment and all.
18:52But this is also true that in the last few years there have been several companies.
18:57Infosys had a campus before you never had a campus.
19:00The TCS itself is like employing over 50,000.
19:03There is a new big boom in the service sector, in the sector 5 that's happening.
19:08One good thing, even the central government data is showing that Bengal has actually diminished like 45% of people
19:15from poverty.
19:16Unemployment rate is not that very good.
19:19But yes, it's true that Bengal is lacking in terms of per capita income.
19:22But I still suspect that whether this election will be the election of development issues or the election of the
19:28SIR.
19:29Yes.
19:29So which is the SIR.
19:31So I think that's a very big thing that we haven't spoken about.
19:35I think that's a huge issue now.
19:36We'll try and put spotlight on that surely over the next few days as I travel across Bengal.
19:42Swarov, Dr. Obro and Mehdul really appreciate your time.
19:45Of course, today was the day when the BJP unveiled its manifesto.
19:50The spotlight has been firmly on the state BJP leadership.
19:54When the question was asked with regards to the chief minister, who will be the chief minister if the BJP
20:00gets numbers on 4th,
20:03Home Minister Amit Shah said that it will be from the galaxy of leaders of Bengal BJP itself.
20:10And one of the leaders that I spoke to is Lockett Chatterjee, who is a former MP and one of
20:17the senior leaders of the party here in Bengal.
20:19Soon after the manifesto was unveiled, listen in to what she told me.
20:24Lockett Chatterjee, the spotlight is on the women.
20:27This is an important vote bank which has so far been captive audience almost of Mamata Banerjee.
20:32How difficult is it for the BJP to woo this constituency and that's why you have gone ahead and doubled
20:39the amount that has been offered by Mamata Banerjee in the women-led scheme here?
20:43Look, the most important thing is that when in Bengal in 2011, when Mamata Banerjee was a member of Mamata
20:51Banerjee,
20:52After 34 years, after the comrades of Mamata Banerjee came, we all thought that Mamata Banerjee came and supported us.
21:00So we will all be able to support our members of Mamata Banerjee.
21:13The last time of Mamata Banerjee was a member of Mamata Banerjee, the last 15 years, the last 5 years
21:24of Mamata Banerjee, the last 15 years, they have been given us.
21:29And at that time it was the vote of this vote.
21:34It is impossible because the people have already realized that the people are not 15
21:43rupes in Paschimangal. There is a lot of people who are talking about the people, but what
21:50is the development of the people in Paschimangal?
21:55I don't think that the government has never thought about it.
21:58One side has been burned, the other side has been burned.
22:03Why would the government will not remain in Bengal?
22:06Because the government will not be able to get the government.
22:10It's only 15 rupees, but after that, it's taken care of it.
22:14It's taken care of it. It's taken care of it.
22:17It's not taken care of it.
22:18But in the government, their department must go for 300 rupees,
22:25a special commission for forgiveness, Ganabhavao스크,
22:32which will fully cover, with the government's whole existence and the government's actions.
22:51The battle for Bengal is truly heating up.
22:55Bengal polls in two phases on 23rd and 29th, and the results will be along with all the
23:01poll-bound states on 4th of May.
23:05The BJP, after putting its manifesto out, is waiting for the people of Bengal to react
23:11and respond to the promises it has made.
23:14It has made special promises to the youth of Bengal and also to the farmers.
23:19But the biggest challenge for the BJP would be to wean away Mamata's captive women vote
23:26ban.
23:27Will the women of Bengal believe in what the BJP says is 3,000 rupees, which is double
23:32the mound being given by Mamata Banerjee presently?
23:37Lots of promises, but let's see who wins on 4th.
23:41We'll continue to track this story very, very closely.
23:43I'll continue to report from across Bengal.
23:46Thanks so much for watching.
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