Poriborton uplifted people's spirits: PM's 1st address after BJP's Bengal win

PM Narendra Modi said it was evident how much change a single vote and an election could bring, and extended his greetings to the people of Bengal on West Bengal Day.

In Short

• PM Modi praises CM Suvendu Adhikari govt for Bengal's revival
• Criticises TMC and opposition parties sharply on West Bengal Day
• Announces projects worth crores, says work is progressing at superfast pace

In his first address after the Bharatiya Janata Party’s electoral victory in West Bengal, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday took sharp jibes at the Trinamool Congress and other Opposition parties, while crediting the Suvendu Adhikari-led government with revitalising the state after what he described as decades of decline under previous administrations.

“There is a new freshness in the air of Bengal. ‘Poriborton’ (change) has lifted people’s spirits. It feels as if Bengal has been freed from its chains,” he said while speaking at the ‘Paschimbanga Divas’ (West Bengal Day) celebrations held in Tarakeswar in Hooghly district.

He said it was evident how much change a single vote and an election could bring, and extended greetings to the people of Bengal on West Bengal Day.

“Work is progressing at a superfast pace to address the damage and shortcomings created by the Left and the TMC over decades in Bengal. As part of this effort, foundation stones have been laid for projects worth hundreds of crores of rupees,” he said.

'REMEMBER SIGNIFICANCE OF WEST BENGAL DAY'

PM Modi said Bengal had endured bloodshed and the loss of its people, yet it had not allowed its identity and pride to be eroded. He added that when attempts were allegedly made to separate Bengal from India, those designs were ultimately defeated.

“Today’s generation must be repeatedly made aware of the significance of West Bengal Day, which marks the movement against attempts to merge Bengal with Pakistan. When Congress capitulated, Syama Prasad Mookerjee launched the movement,” he said.

He further said that after Independence, there were attempts to forget West Bengal Day. The Congress, which had allegedly left Bengal neglected after Independence, later continued with appeasement politics.

PM SLAMS CONGRESS, TMC & LEFT FRONT

He blamed previous governments led by the Congress, the Left Front, and the Trinamool Congress for neglecting West Bengal’s interests, alleging that “foreign ideologies were imposed” and that infiltration was allowed to push the state backwards.

“Decades of misgovernance have pushed Bengal far behind. Now we must resolve that the mistakes of history will not be repeated,” he asserted.

PM Modi said projects earlier stalled by previous governments, including border fencing, had now been restarted, and industrial development had also picked up.

In a dig at the TMC and its alleged “cut money” culture, he further said that those who had looted the people were now being made to return the money, and that several key accused individuals were being arrested.

“Bengal will no longer remain stuck; it will now create history,” he said while concluding his speech.

WEST BENGAL DAY CELEBRATIONS

The Prime Minister marked the first-ever Statehood Day celebrations on Saturday, a moment widely seen as significant in the state’s cultural and political narrative.

The day marks the historical decision of June 20, 1947, when the future of the Bengal Province was decided amid the broader Partition of India. At the centre of the debate was whether Bengal would remain united and join either India or Pakistan, or be divided into East and West Bengal along religious lines.

The assembly constituted after the 1946 elections met in three separate sessions to determine Bengal’s fate. In the joint session, legislators voted 126–90 in favour of keeping Bengal united and acceding to Pakistan. However, in a separate session of West Bengal legislators, 58–21 voted in favour of partition, supporting the creation of West Bengal as part of India.

In contrast, legislators from East Bengal voted 106–35 against partition, while also resolving that if division became inevitable, East Bengal should accede to Pakistan. This resolution was passed by 107 votes to 34.

Ultimately, Bengal was partitioned, with West Bengal becoming part of India. The development is viewed by the BJP as being influenced by Syama Prasad Mookerjee, one of the party’s ideological founders.

PM MODI’S WEST BENGAL VISIT

Earlier in the day, PM Modi released the 23rd instalment of the PM-Kisan scheme, worth Rs 18,880 crore, benefiting over 9.44 crore farmers across the country. To extend the benefits of the world’s largest crop insurance scheme to farmers in West Bengal, the Prime Minister also launched the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) in the state.

According to the government, the initiative aims to provide insurance coverage to nearly 50 lakh farmers across about 14 lakh hectares of agricultural land in West Bengal during 2026–27, with an estimated insured value of around Rs 28,140 crore.

Modi also launched, dedicated, and laid foundation stones for several development projects across sectors including railways, agriculture, rural development, fisheries, and animal husbandry.

He laid the foundation stones for railway projects worth around Rs 590 crore. He also inaugurated 49 road infrastructure projects under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY-III), covering a total length of over 315 km across various districts of West Bengal.

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