‘Our first task is to remove the ‘garbage’ and start the process of reconstruction’: West Bengal Cabinet Minister Swapan Dasgupta | india news
New Delhi: Newly appointed West Bengal Cabinet Minister Swapan Dasgupta made a scathing attack on Monday. Trinamool Congress (TMC) alleged that the party has left the state in a “completely devastated” state. He said the immediate priority of the newly formed BJP-led government was to remove the “garbage” left by the previous administration and begin the process of rebuilding the state.After taking oath as minister, Dasgupta said the administration’s priorities would focus on education, industry, infrastructure and restoring law and order.“TMC has left Bengal a completely devastated area. Our first task is to remove the ‘garbage’ and start the process of reconstruction and planning. Priorities have been set in education, industrial sector, establishment of infrastructure and bringing back law and order,” he said.Dasgupta also highlighted the challenge of restoring investor confidence and improving governance and alleged that many sectors of public life had become badly corrupt during the TMC tenure in the state. “We also have to bring back the confidence of the entire investor community. Trying to bring back a degree of honesty in the system will be a big challenge because there are many areas of public life that have become badly corrupt,” he said.On the possibility of opposition leaders joining the BJP, Dasgupta said the party has decided not to include TMC members for the foreseeable future.“Our policy in BJP in Bengal is that we will not take any person from TMC in the near future,” he said.Responding to questions about the alleged forgery of signatures of MLAs in the West Bengal Assembly, which is being investigated by a five-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the CID, Dasgupta said the case should be handled through established procedures.“It is for the Speaker to find out whether there is any forgery in the signatures. Let the law take its course,” he said.West Bengal on Monday expanded its cabinet and 35 new ministers took oath at Lok Bhawan in Kolkata. Governor RN Ravi administered the oath, taking the strength of the Council of Ministers under Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari to 41.
