Kolkata: Claiming that Bengal had already witnessed the real change during Mamata Banerjees tenure, Trinamool Youth Congress president Abhishek Banerjee on Sunday said while the BJP-ruled Gujarat—which is struggling to tackle the pandemic with inadequate infrastructure— had only 18,000 hospital beds for a population of 7 crore, the Mamata Banerjee government created about 1 lakh hospital beds for 10 crore population of Bengal. Taking a swipe at BJPs Asol Poriborton slogan, Abhishek asked people at a rally in Ashoknagar whether BJP wanted to change Bengal into a state-like Gujarat, where the BJP-led state government had failed in boosting the health infrastructure. "We are witnessing a procession of deaths in Covid in UP and Gujarat. The crematoriums are struggling to accommodate Covid bodies for performing last rites. Ambulances are standing in a queue one after another with bodies. This has happened because BJP has been busy with politics over mosques and temples (Hindus and Muslims) and have been negligent towards upliftment of healthcare facilities," Banerjee said, while addressing another rally at Bongaon North in support of TMC candidate Shyamal Roy. The TMC leader blamed the lackadaisical attitude of BJP-led Central government for rising Covid fatalities. At Ashoknagar, Abhishek said: "The BJP-led government is spending Rs 25,000cr for building a new Parliament House, but the same could have been utilised for setting up at least 250 hospitals in the country." Abhishek claimed that while Mamata Banerjee created hospitals in almost every block in the state, the BJP leaders spent huge amounts in creating luxurious party offices in Delhi and the Prime Minister bought a new aeroplane for him by spending Rs 8500 crore. "If this money could have been used in developing the health infrastructure, then this procession of Covid deaths could have been averted," Banerjee said. He also blamed the BJP leaders, who are coming to the state on a daily basis for campaigning for the rise in Covid cases. "We had proposed clubbing of the last three phases of elections with Covid cases on the rise. But, the BJP objected to it as their leaders from outside Bengal will come every day with the purpose of misleading people and endangering human lives by spreading Covid. They are least concerned about the lives of human beings. But, we always believe that human lives should be given top priority," Abhishek said. Referring to Home Minister Amit Shahs promise of giving citizenship rights to the Matua community, Abhishek said: "The Matuas here, who have their own voter cards or Aadhar cards, already have residential status. Will he give citizenship to those who are already inhabitants of Bengal? The people here will not be swayed away by such false statements," he added.

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