Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday targeted the practice of polygamy during the election campaign for the West Bengal Assembly elections, saying the BJP would implement UCC to ban the practice in the state.
Speaking at a rally in Kulti, on the outskirts of Paschim Bardhaman’s Asansol and Barakkar industrial hubs, he said the BJP would restore the industrial glory of the country’s iron ore production hub and provide jobs for local youth.
“Kolti was the hub of iron ore production in the country, but the Mamata Banerjee government subdued it. We will restore the Iron City to its glory, stop illegal mining, effectively ban production of polluting sponge iron in the region, and create employment opportunities for local youth,” Shah said.
Shah also promised an “infiltrator-free Bengal” once the BJP wins power in the state.
“Once voted to power, the BJP will ban four marriages in a particular community through UCC Bengal,” Amit Shah was quoted as saying by PTI. He added that the new government would also put an end to the nascent syndicate, mafia and gondola raj in the state.
West Bengal elections
The West Bengal elections are being held in two phases, on April 23 and 29, amid a row over the deletion of thousands of votes, which the TMC has blamed on alleged collusion between the BJP and the Election Commission.
The counting of votes is scheduled to take place on May 4, along with the counting of votes in the states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and Puducherry.
TMC chief Mamata Banerjee has been the CM since 2011 after breaching the left citadel for decades. The BJP rose to 77 seats in the 294-member assembly in 2021, compared to just three in 2016, but the TMC also increased its seats. The TMC’s main tone against the BJP is that it is a group of outsiders, while the Hindutva ideology-driven BJP alleges corruption and nepotism towards Muslims by the TMC.
