Modi applauds West Bengal women’s new direction, pushes ‘talk less, work more’ mantra

Speaking on Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a moment to salute the women of West Bengal – the mothers, sisters and daughters who, he said, have been the real engine behind the state’s recent political shift.

‘On May 4, Bengal chose a new path of change,’ he told the gathering, his voice carrying a familiar mix of admiration and resolve. ‘And the most important role in that change has been played by the mothers and sisters of Bengal.’

Modi reminded the audience of the party’s simple, almost slogan‑like credo – “Kotha Kom, Kaj Beshi” – literally, “less talk, more work.” It is the same line that, he explained, underpins the Annapurna Scheme, a flagship welfare programme meant to put cash directly into the hands of women, without any middlemen.

The scheme, launched just days after the new government took office, now sees money flowing straight into bank accounts across the state. No cut‑money, no extra hands – just a clean transfer that, according to the Prime Minister, “won’t work” in Bengal any longer.

He went on to list a litany of initiatives that the BJP claims to have rolled out for women’s empowerment: the Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao campaigns to curb female foeticide, the Matru Vandana Yojana for expectant mothers, and the Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana that offers high‑interest savings for girl children. From toilets in schools to free electricity under Saubhagya, clean‑cooking gas via Ujjwala and health cover through Ayushman Bharat, Modi painted a picture of a government that is, in his words, “committed to solving every problem throughout the life cycle of women.”

State officials chimed in with their own praise. West Bengal minister Tapas Roy wished the Prime Minister a long, healthy life, calling him “a source of great inspiration.” Meanwhile, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari met beneficiaries of the Annapurna Yojana at the Bidhannagar Book Fair, underscoring the scheme’s replacement of the previous Lakshmi Bhandar programme.

Whether you’re a resident of Kolkata or a farmer in the Hooghly plains, the message was clear: the era of endless promises is over. It’s time to roll up sleeves, get things done, and let the women of Bengal lead the way.