CM orders probe against herself over allegation of encroachment

kolkata: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday ordered an independent probe for tracing any property in her name or in the name of any of her family members that have illegally encroached upon government land.

Her reactions came in the wake of news surfacing in a section of media on Monday regarding a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) being filed at a division bench of the Calcutta High Court, demanding a central agency probe into the assets of her family members.

"In the meeting of Infrastructure Standing Committee of the Cabinet held today (Wednesday), I have ordered that a team led by state Chief Secretary comprising the finance secretary, land and land reforms department secretary will conduct an inquiry to ascertain whether I or any of my family member have illegally encroached into any government land. If any such illegal property is traced, the committee will have the liberty to use a bulldozer and demolish the same immediately. They need not take any permission from me or anyone for the demolition," Banerjee said. She maintained that the address in Kalighat where she and her family stays is the property of Rani Rashmoni.

"We live as 'thika praja' (tenant) on that land and we do not own any land there, as per my knowledge," Banerjee said, claiming that she has been pained by certain media reports highlighting a petition being filed at Calcutta High Court of alleged encroachment of government land on the part of her family members not even considering whether the petition has been admitted at the court or not. She further said that she lives alone and does not stay with her family members and gets together with them only during social occasions like the Kali Puja, rakhi or the Bhai Phonta. "I joined politics to serve society. But now I sometimes feel that I would have quit politics much earlier had I been aware that the current-day politics would be so dirty that my and my family members would have to face such false slanders. My chair is the common people's chair and I am there to serve them," she told the media persons.

Banerjee said that she does not take the salary that she is entitled to as the Chief Minister. "I have been a seven-time parliamentarian but I do not accept pension. I write books and paint, and whatever royalty I earn through the sale proceeds of these is enough for my simple living,"she said.

Banerjee further said that if her family members get a notice from any of the central government agencies then she would fight legally. "If notice is served to my family then it will be fought legally. But it has become tough nowadays. But I have faith in the judiciary. There is an effort to malign Trinamool Congress in a planned manner," said the

Trinamool supremo.