₹5,000 for every journalist: BJP rolls out media allowance promise 5 days before Bengal polls

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has reiterated its proposal to provide a ₹5,000 monthly allowance to accredited journalists in West Bengal if it comes to power, positioning the move as part of its broader welfare-focused election pitch.

At a meet-the-press interaction at the Press Club Kolkata, state BJP President Samik Bhattacharya said the scheme would apply uniformly to all accredited journalists who meet eligibility criteria, with no distinction among media professionals. He emphasised that there would be no division among journalists , adding that the party respects media freedom and rights.

Bhattacharya said the initiative is intended to provide financial support and a sense of security to journalists, many of whom work under economic pressure. He also noted that while the proposed amount may not be very high, it is meant as a symbolic welfare measure for the media fraternity. He added that detailed guidelines and implementation modalities would be worked out and shared at a later stage after further discussions.

In a lighter remark during the interaction, he said, “Whether those who write for us, and those who write against us, everyone is our friend.”

The announcement comes amid intensified campaigning for the West Bengal Assembly elections, which will be held in two phases on April 23 and April 29, with counting scheduled for May 4.

As the campaign heats up, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also stepped up his attack on the Trinamool Congress (TMC), alleging that the party had “betrayed women” in the state and stating that it would be punished in the upcoming assembly elections. The remarks added to the escalating political exchanges between major parties in the poll-bound state.

Opposition parties have criticised such announcements as election-time promises lacking clarity on implementation, while the BJP has presented them as part of its broader welfare agenda aimed at different sections of society.