'Centre claiming law & order collapse in state to deflect ire over fuel price'

Darjeeling: Preaching the mantra of "public before politics," Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, on Tuesday, called on Hill-based political parties to sink their differences and work for the development of the region in North Bengal. She also accused the Centre of trying to deflect public ire over issues such as fuel price hikes by falsely claiming that the law and order in Bengal had collapsed.

"People are suffering due to sharp hike in fuel prices and the BJP is harping on stray incidents to divert attention from core issues and also give West Bengal a bad name," she said in reference to the political firestorm over the killing of nine people in Bogtui village in Birbhum's Rampurhat.

"The BJP is making false claims about a collapse in law and order in West Bengal to disrupt peace. The saffron party doesn't love our state or its people. They are not concerned about the state's development. They come before elections, make tall promises and never fulfil those," Banerjee said. She also advised the Hill populace against tasting the "Delhi Ka Laddu". "Kanchenjunga is smiling, tourism is back on track and there is no violence. Let's take forward our journey from here," Banerjee said. The Chief Minister on a tour of the Darjeeling district attended a government programme at the Darjeeling Mall and handed out welfare schemes to beneficiaries.

"I request all political parties to stay together and maintain peace. Political parties are created to serve the public and then indulge in politics. If you all abide by this, see where Darjeeling Hill reaches in the next 10 years," she said.

The Chief Minister stated that she had urged the Centre to grant permission to allow the students returning from war-torn Chechnya to complete their course in the State. There are 400 such students in Bengal. "Yesterday in the Parliament they stated that it cannot be done. Who are they to say no? Don't they have any feelings for students?" retorted Banerjee.

The Chief Minister distributed widow's pension; Laxmi Bhandar, Swastha Sathi cards, Student's Credit Cards, Land Patta and other welfare schemes to beneficiaries from the programme. She also remotely inaugurated multiple projects including roads, community halls. There are 3400 women in the Darjeeling and Kalimpong Hills receiving the widow's pension. 3100 new recipients have been added in the financial year 2022-23. "Many times the economy of the Hill has been destroyed. Let us rejuvenate it. Let us make a clean and green Darjeeling. I want to see more industry, better tourism and employment opportunities in the Hills..."

she added.