West Bengal

IIE DIGITAL DESK ; Kharagpur, May 22: Senior BJP leader and minister Dilip Ghosh on Friday asserted that the primary objective of the government is governance and development work rather than political publicity, while also addressing issues ranging from administrative reforms to national identity and illegal immigration.

Kharagpur, Ghosh said the government has deliberately decided against organizing massive centralized public meetings that require heavy expenditure. Instead, the administration has adopted a decentralized approach by dividing West Bengal into five zones and conducting regional administrative meetings accordingly.

Explaining the plan, Ghosh stated that a major administrative meeting covering five districts will be held in Siliguri on May 20. According to him, the meetings will involve the entire administrative machinery, including members of the cabinet, the Chief Minister, the Chief Secretary, local MLAs, district magistrates, and Block Development Officers. He emphasized that the focus of these gatherings would be governance and implementation of work at the grassroots level rather than political promotion.

“The government’s only goal is work, not publicity,” Ghosh said, adding that public money should be spent on development-oriented administration rather than extravagant political events.

The issue of making “Vande Mataram” compulsory in schools and madrasas, Ghosh took a firm position, stating that all educational institutions receiving government funding must follow government regulations. He argued that singing the national song should be mandatory across schools and madrasas alike, saying that such practices are followed throughout the country.

Ghosh also alleged that several old laws and regulations were ignored by previous administrations in the state. “Wherever government funds are used, government rules will apply. The national song has to be sung everywhere,” he remarked.

The issue of alleged Bangladeshi infiltrators living in West Bengal, Ghosh said legal proceedings alone would not solve the matter. He claimed that many such individuals have been living in the state for years while availing themselves of public facilities and benefits. According to him, the government is now discussing measures to send them back.

“What is the point of merely filing cases against them or continuing to provide shelter and benefits? They have been staying here for years and enjoying all facilities. They must be sent back,” Ghosh stated.

The recent appeal made by Toha Siddiqui urging Muslims in West Bengal to refrain from cow sacrifice during Eid, Ghosh welcomed the statement and described it as a positive development. He claimed that cow slaughter is not an essential religious practice and alleged that such acts had often been carried out in Bengal to hurt Hindu sentiments.

“The Muslim community itself has made this appeal, and that is a very good thing. Cow slaughter is not a religious necessity and has no direct relation with religion,” Ghosh said during the interaction.