Siliguri/Kolkata: After swearing in as a minister in the newly formed Bengal govt, Siliguri BJP MLA Shankar Ghosh on Monday said he “cannot forget” his roots and he would ensure concerns of north Bengal are taken to relevant departments and acted upon. Speaking to TOI over the phone shortly after taking the oath of office, Ghosh said he had spent the past five years raising issues from the opposition bench and he would now work within the administration to address them.“Earlier, I was in the opposition and could only raise my voice on issues. Now that I am part of the govt, I will place concerns of north Bengal before concerned departments and work towards resolving them,” Ghosh said.He said that a dedicated minister for development of north Bengal — in Nisith Pramanik — would ensure that the needs of locals receive focused attention.The Siliguri MLA emphasised that environmental degradation, which he frequently highlighted as a part of the opposition, would remain his priority.He added that one of the new administration’s priorities would be to dismantle the long-standing sense of deprivation felt in north Bengal and ensure balanced development across the region.Ghosh, who had arrived for the swearing-in ceremony clad in a traditional Bengali white dhoti-panjabi, said prioritising Bengali identity, education and culture would be among key priorities of the new govt.“For 15 years, narratives were floated about Bengal’s decline, so there is need for comprehensive work in all areas,” he said, adding that restoring the public’s trust in govt schools will be one of the most significant tasks.“It is evident that the current curriculum did not instill patriotism in students. Instead, political events like Singur and Nandigram were included in the syllabus. No effort was made to foster love for the nation,” Ghosh said.He added that special attention needed to be given to fee structures in private schools as CM Suvendu Adhikari had stated previously.
