In an emotional pitch to Bengal voters, with barely a month left for polling, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday penned a letter in Bengali urging people to vote wisely, saying that “the direction in which the future of the next generation will move depends on your thoughtful decision.”
“The men, women and children of my dream of Sonar Bangla are today facing extreme deprivation. Their pain weighs heavily on my heart. From the depths of my being, I have taken a pledge — to develop and transform West Bengal into a prosperous state,” he wrote.
He further said he felt deep pain at West Bengal — once envisioned by great figures like Swami Vivekananda and Sri Aurobindo — descending into “narrow vote-bank politics, violence and anarchy.”
In the letter, PM Modi went on to write that only a few months remain before the fate of West Bengal is decided and asserted that the direction in which the state progresses will be determined by voters. He highlighted his government’s 11-year record, stating that public welfare and inclusive development have been prioritised, from farmers’ welfare and youth aspirations to women’s empowerment.
In his appeal, he urged voters to join what he described as a journey of development and said he is eager for an opportunity to serve them. He promised a state free from corruption and misrule, where women feel secure and youth do not have to migrate for work. He also said refugees facing religious persecution would receive citizenship through the CAA and that governance free from illegal infiltration would be established.
Referring to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and Rabindranath Tagore, he alleged that the state is tainted by illegal infiltration, crimes against women and fake voters, and said the entire country is concerned about the situation.
Citing central schemes, the Prime Minister said five crore people in West Bengal have been brought under banking services through the Jan Dhan Yojana despite what he described as non-cooperation from the state government. He also referred to the construction of 85 lakh toilets under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, loans worth Rs 2.82 lakh crore to small traders and entrepreneurs, 56 lakh beneficiaries under the Atal Pension Yojana, and over one crore LPG connections provided under the Ujjwala Yojana. He added that more than 52 lakh farmers in the state have received direct financial assistance under the PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme.
Recalling West Bengal’s historical role as a pioneer of industrialisation and a guiding force in the country’s economy, Modi said the state’s current condition causes him deep pain. He blamed “six decades of misrule and appeasement politics” for what he termed irreparable damage, alleging that unemployment has forced youth to migrate while women live in fear due to insecurity.
Calling for change, Modi said living standards have improved in other states and that West Bengal deserves similar progress. He cited Ayushman Bharat, employment generation and strengthened women’s safety as examples of initiatives that could benefit the state.
Concluding the letter, Modi invoked Syama Prasad Mookerjee’s role in keeping West Bengal an integral part of India and called on people to take a pledge to build a “Developed West Bengal” by 2026.
