BJP trying to buy tribal votes: CM

Kolkata: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday afternoon accused the BJP of misguiding the tribal and scheduled caste communities in the state and trying to buy their votes by distributing cash amongst them before the elections.

"They come and pay Rs 1,000 to the voters just to win elections. But nobody saw them in Jangalmahal when the area was reeling under trouble because of the Maoists," she said while addressing a public meeting in Jhargram on the occasion of "Adivasi Dibas" (World Tribal Day) and 76th year of the Quit India movement.

The Chief Minister announced setting up of a university in the district and maintained that once it comes up, the local students will not have to go elsewhere for higher studies. The proposed university is coming up on 27.04-acre land on Jhargram-Lodhasuli Road. She said two more schools with Olchiki as the medium of instruction will soon come up in Jhargram. Four more similar schools will come up — two each in Bankura and Purulia. Two hundred Olchiki teachers will be appointed to coach the students.

Banerjee also cautioned the students against the rumour-mongers who try to create trouble by dividing societies. "They always try to divide society. They divide people on the basis of caste and religion. In Purulia, they let loose the Mahatos against the tribals and the vice versa in Jhargram."

She further added: "In the last seven years, we have not let anybody disrupt peace in this region. People could not go out of their homes earlier apprehending attack by the Maoists.

We have not allowed the Maoists to enter this place. A few people are bringing in Maoists from neighbouring Jharkhand to create a bloodbath in Jhargram. They (BJP) want the poor to face problems. They do not want them to get rice at Rs 2 a kg, free education, job and healthcare… If you (people) have faith in me, I will ask you not to trust anybody else other than us (TMC). Till I am alive, I will never let anybody to act against the interests of the people. You are my family. I love the Adivasis (tribals)."

She also maintained that only the government run by Ma, Mati, Manus can give peace and development in Jangalmahal.

Hitting out at the saffron party, she said: "I do not create any division among people. I do not create division among the Hindus and Muslims, nor among the other communities. It's the ruling BJP at the Centre which does that. We are not with them (the BJP)."

She also asked the MLAs and MPs to go to the people and sit with the administration to sort out problems. Banerjee urged the students who are involved with Police Community Development programmes to go to different areas to ensure that the people get the benefits of various schemes taken up by the state government.

She also maintained: "Massive development has happened here in the past seven years. The students are getting scholarships, super-specialty hospitals have come up, people are getting rice at Rs 2 a kilogram. I head the Tribal Welfare department and more development work will be carried out in the future."

Banerjee felicitated the students who did well in the public examinations. She also inaugurated several bus routes connecting both the local areas and Jhargram with the neighbouring districts. Around 55,000 bicycles under Sabuj Sathi project will also be distributed among the students.