Vijayvargiya promises ‘kirtan’ singers pension if BJP is voted to power in Bengal

"So far, a list of 1,200 singers has been prepared. They will start getting pensions from next month. When the state government was asked to send a list of such singers in Bengal, it did not send the list," he said.

BJP national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya on Tuesday assured elderly “kirtan” singers that they will be paid pensions if the BJP comes to power in the state.

Addressing party workers in South 24 Parganas district’s Baruipur, Vijayvargiya said, “When ‘kirtan’ singers turn 60, they cannot sing anymore due to their age. It becomes difficult for such artists to provide for their families once they stop singing. They become a burden to the family. So they must get some amount of money as a pension. When I addressed this issue before Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, they said all such artists will be provided pensions once the BJP forms the government in West Bengal.”

The BJP leader said the Mamata Banerjee government did not send a list of such singers to the Centre.

“So far, a list of 1,200 singers has been prepared. They will start getting pensions from next month. When the state government was asked to send a list of such singers in Bengal, it did not send the list,” he added.

Meanwhile, sources said the BJP would undertake an outreach programme titled “Duare Duare BJP [BJP at your doorstep]” to counter the state government’s “Duare Duare Paschim Banga Sarkar” scheme, which was announced by chief minister Mamata Banerjee recently.

“In the first phase of the initiative, which is to be held from December 1 to 12, our youth workers will visit every household in the state spread across 294 Assembly seats,” said BJP MP Saumitra Khan.

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