Kolkata, April 15 (IANS) Attacking the Mamata Banerjee government in West Bengal over a host of issues, the Congress here Tuesday said for the ruling Trinamool Congress, secularism was only a "political compulsion".
Bengal Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury lunching the party manifesto for the state also claimed that Banerjee's attacks on BJP prime ministerial nominee Narendra Modi were a mere eyewash.
"The Trinamool is keeping its doors open for the BJP. She (Banerjee) has been attacking Modi because she doesn't want to displease religious clerics who want her to attack him," Chowdhury told media persons here.
"For Congress, secularism is ideology but for the Trinamool it's a political compulsion to woo minorities. Attacking the BJP or Modi is her compulsion and a damage control measure," he added.
Chowdhury also ridiculed the Banerjee government for its tall claims of development.
"This government has been making fake claims of development in the state where the actual scene is far away from what is being projected. In MGNREGA, the state is ranked 24 in the country with just 35 days of work when Mizoram has registered 87 mandays annually," claimed Chowdhury.
The Bahrampur parliamentarian also claimed that so far Bengal has received only Rs.1,200 crore in industrial investment "contrary to the government claims of huge investments".
He also rubbished Banerjee's claims that the central government was denying Bengal a livelihood by taking away all its revenue and blamed it for the non-implementation of the Food Security Act in the state.
Chowdhury also denied the presence of any "Modi wave" in the state and dubbed Banerjee's effort to stitch an alliance with her Tamil Nadu counterpart and AIADMK chief J.Jayalalitha as "opportunistic".
"Banerjee owes her political career to Rajiv Gandhi and it is ironical that she is joining hands with a leader who is desperate to free Gandhi's killers. It will be an alliance of two opportunistic leaders," he added.
External Affairs Minister Jaishankar said when PM Modi met Xi Jinping 18 times
India's foreign minister S Jaishankar has indicated in a special interview with the English newsp
For the first time, women fighter pilots of the Indian Air Force will participate in an exercise
Getting lot of Messages of support from Colleagues: Sujatha Singh
New Delhi, Jan 31 (IANS) Former foreign secretary Sujatha
Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has praised young Indian opener Yashasvi Jaiswal for his bri
After the budget, PM Narendra Modi addressed the first webinar on green development. In his addre
Japanese Doppler radar in Srinagar for weather forecasting
Srinagar, Fe Feb 7 (IANS) Following the directions of the Supreme Court, authorities Saturday i
The situation is getting worse in China due to Corona. Because of this, Taiwan has made the RT-PC
Increasing corona infection in many countries of the world including China has raised the concern
India had to face defeat in the second ODI against Bangladesh. With this victory, Bangladesh has
Center offers talks with farmers, Khattar said - Khalistan connection input in the movement
Saturday is the third day of demonstrations by farmers in Punjab and Haryana regarding agricultur
