Former Chief Minister and senior CPI(M) leader Manik Sarkar today claimed that even though Durga Puja has begun, two-thirds of the people in the state are struggling financially, with many facing poverty and hardship.
He made these remarks while attending a blood donation camp organized at the SFI headquarters, an initiative that the organization has continued for 22 consecutive years.
Sarkar said that during the Left Front government, special efforts were made to boost rural development ahead of the Puja. “Programs under REGA, TUEP, and other development departments used to run for 15–20 days, ensuring that workers received money 6–7 days before the festival. The current BJP government has failed to do this,” he asserted.
He added that the festival cannot truly be celebrated when two-thirds of society is excluded. “Today, these people lack funds, and the situation in villages is particularly dire. The government is not undertaking development work, nor providing humanitarian support for essentials like new clothes or food for the Puja,” he said.
Sarkar also criticized the government’s focus on inaugurating carnival venues and mandaps days before the festival, saying that such displays do not bring joy to the common people. He emphasized that rural areas are in a worse condition than cities and blamed the government’s indifference and lack of principles for the ongoing financial hardships faced by the population.
