Mamata Banerjee, the CM of West Bengal, said that the movie theatres are allowed to operate at 100 per cent occupancy if they follow Covid protocols. During the inauguration of the 26th Kolkata International Film Festival, Mamata Banerjee said, “Due to the pandemic, only 50 per cent capacity was allowed. But I will ask the Chief Secretary to issue a notification allowing 100 per cent occupancy.”
There are two primary reasons behind allowing 100 per cent occupancy in theatres. First, Mamata Banerjee wants to appease the film industry and movie-loving Bengali people with the decision, although she cares little about their safety. And the second being that she wants to earn some revenue for the West Bengal government as its tax collection has been one of the lowest and the state debt is burgeoning.
Mamata Banerjee also tried to insert the factor of Bengali pride and nativism during the inauguration speech. “It is true that this time we are holding the event at a smaller scale, but we are still holding the film festival nevertheless. Many others would not have been able to muster the courage. However, West Bengal is the cultural capital,” said the West Bengal CM.
This brings Mamata Banerjee in direct confrontation with the Union government. A few days ago when the poll-bound Tamil Nadu allowed 100 per cent occupancy in cinema halls, the union government intervened to stop the madness. “State/UT governments shall not dilute these guidelines… in any manner,” a letter to the Tamil Nadu government from Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla said.
The Tamil Nadu government reversed the order in the same evening. Now, it seems Mamata Banerjee has deliberately picked up a fight against the Union government with the opening of cinema halls with 100 per cent occupancy, although she is risking the life of millions of cinema-going Bengali people to pick up a fight with the Modi government.
The government of the poll-bound states like Tamil Nadu and West Bengal are desperate to open the cinema halls to appease the voters, as well as, earn revenues. But, to earn taxes for the government and electoral gains, they are risking the lives of millions of people.
West Bengal has one of the lowest capital expenditures, thanks to the low-tax collection; anti-business policies and inefficient welfare schemes. The main reason behind the issue is the excess revenue expenditure by the Mamata Banerjee government on inefficient welfare schemes, and distribution of money on minority appeasement.
The inabilities to raise revenues and a tendency to overspend on revenue expenditure too have crippled the capital expenditure in the state. Lower capital expenditure threatens the sustainability of the state’s growth path, as well as, the state’s ability to lower the debt-GDP ratio.
The Mamata Banerjee-led TMC government has destroyed the economy of the West Bengal and now to raise revenues, she is willing to risk the life of the people. This shows that all that Mamata Banerjee cares for is power, not the welfare of West Bengal and its people.