'Fear out, Faith in': Governor RN Ravi calls for end of 'threat culture' in Budget Session speech

The first budget session of the newly formed Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in West Bengal commenced on Thursday with an address by Governor RN Ravi. Setting a firm tone for the legislative period, which is scheduled to run until June 25, the Governor used his inaugural speech to lavish praise on the Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari-led administration. He explicitly highlighted the state’s rapid turnaround across critical indices, including demographic management, women's safety, and the eradication of localized extortion networks. Coining the guiding mantra of "fear out, faith in," the Governor asserted that the current administration has successfully re-established the foundational rule of law across Bengal.

A primary focus of Governor Ravi’s speech was border security and the shifting demographics resulting from illegal infiltration. He announced that the state government has demonstrated absolute determination to counter this challenge by swiftly handing over long-pending border tracts to the Border Security Force (BSF) for the immediate installation of barbed-wire fencing. Furthermore, the Governor outlined the government's zero-tolerance policy regarding violence against women and child abuse, adding that the pervasive reign of institutional syndicates and miscreants has effectively concluded. He also made a point to laud popular new governance initiatives, specifically highlighting the implementation of the "Annapurna Bhandar" social welfare scheme.

The inaugural address also featured a scathing critique of the previous Trinamool Congress (TMC) administration, which the Governor characterized as a regime plagued by rampant, institutional corruption where ordinary citizens were systematically denied justice. He cited specific examples of developmental paralysis under the prior government, noting that the crucial Chingrihata Metro project had been intentionally stalled, thereby depriving the public and causing the state's economic infrastructure to fall behind. He confirmed that the new government's aggressive anti-corruption crackdown has successfully cleared these hurdles, allowing the vital metro construction work to resume in full swing.

Looking ahead toward the remainder of the session, the Governor revealed that the administration is preparing a comprehensive roadmap to implement the National Education Policy (NEP) statewide and systematically reopen shuttered tea gardens to revive the rural agrarian economy. He also called for an end to the threat culture in university campuses across the state. Additionally, he emphasized a new state policy aimed at recovering illegally occupied land parcels to aggressively repurpose them for heavy industrial growth. This legislative opening sets the stage for June 22, when State Finance Minister Swapan Dasgupta is scheduled to formally present the new government's highly anticipated financial budget.