Returning to the historic grounds of Singur four years after her last visit, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee launched a scathing attack on the Central Government while inaugurating a massive suite of state-funded development projects. During her address, she emphasized Bengal’s self-reliance, citing the “Ghatal Master Plan” as a primary example of progress achieved without federal financial assistance.

The Chief Minister’s visit comes just ten days after a rally by the Prime Minister in the same region, setting the stage for a heightened political standoff.

Self-Reliance Over Central Neglect: The Ghatal Master Plan

A major highlight of Banerjee’s speech was the progress of the long-awaited Ghatal Master Plan. The Chief Minister claimed she had written to the Centre for a decade regarding flood mitigation in Ghatal, only to receive no response.
“The DVC releases water and floods Bengal, yet the Centre remains silent. We decided we could no longer wait,” Banerjee said. She announced that the state has already allocated ₹1,500 crores for the project, with ₹300 crore worth of work already completed.

Housing and Employment: “Banglar Bari” and Industrial Hubs

Banerjee inaugurated or laid the foundation stones for 1,694 projects across various districts, totalling an investment of ₹33,551 crores.

Housing: Under the ‘Banglar Bari’ scheme, the state has disbursed funds to 20 lakh families today, bringing the two-month total to 32 lakh beneficiaries.

Industry in Singur: Reaffirming her “agriculture and industry side-by-side” stance, she inaugurated the Singur Agro-Industrial Park. Built on 8 acres at a cost of ₹9.2 crore, 25 out of 28 plots have already been allotted.

Logistics Hub: She further announced a 77-acre private industrial park in Singur, which is expected to house large-scale warehouses for giants like Amazon and Flipkart, generating thousands of local jobs.

Poetry and Protest: SIR in West Bengal Controversy

In a characteristic display of her creative side, the Chief Minister read a poem titled “SIR” (an acronym for Special Investment Region), which she penned during a helicopter ride. She used the verses to allege a “conspiracy” involving land and human rights under the guise of SIR.

“I wrote 26 poems in three days for a book titled ‘SIR Bangla.’ They are trying to kill people in the name of SIR. I have all the documents, and if necessary, I will fight this in court—not as a lawyer, but as a common citizen.”

Classical Language Recognition and Federal Tussle

Addressing recent claims regarding the recognition of Bengali as a “Classical Language,” Banerjee accused the Centre of stalling the process. She claimed the state had to send “five sacks of evidence” to Delhi to force the recognition, asserting that Bengal’s rich heritage was initially ignored while other languages were prioritized.

Compensation for Anandapur Fire Victims

The Chief Minister also addressed the tragic fire at a private facility in Anandapur. Cancelling her scheduled trip to Delhi, she announced a ₹10 lakh compensation for the families of the deceased. Additionally, the involved private companies will provide ₹5 lakh, and the state will offer Civic Volunteer jobs to one member from each affected family.

Defiance Against Central Agencies

Closing her speech with a defiant tone, Banerjee addressed the threat of investigations and jail time. “You can fill the jails or use force, I don’t care,” she stated. “If I am sent to jail, the mothers and sisters of Bengal will answer. They will meet your tactics with both tradition and resistance.”

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