BJP using CBI, ED to browbeat Trinamool Congress: Mamata

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday accused the BJP of "trying to browbeat" her party by "using the CBI and the ED" as it had dared to speak up against the saffron party.

"They (BJP) are trying to scare everybody. They are threatening me with CBI and ED as we are speaking in favour of the people and against their policies," she told a meeting in South Dinajpur district.

"They can arrest all our leaders including me, but that would not deter us from speaking against them," Banerjee said in a reference to the CBI filing charges against 12 TMC ministers and leaders in the Narada sting operation case.

In a reference to the recent visit of BJP president Amit Shah to the state, Banerjee said: "They are trying to teach us the culture and ethics of Bengal."

Slamming the BJP on the Hindutva issue, she added: "They are not the sole flag-bearer of Hindutva. Who are they to teach us about religion?

"Asking the people of the state to remain cautious against "BJP's communalism", the TMC supremo said: "Hinduism does not teach us to hate others. Instead, it teaches us to love and respect all. I am a Hindu. I love and respect all religions. We will not tolerate a communal flare-up in the name of religion." She announced that her government would construct 1,000 Hindu cremation grounds in the state in the next five years. Talking about her government's work in the last six years, Banerjee said: "Development can only take place through planning and not through riots."

The Chief Minister laid the foundation stones for a number of projects, including a waiting room for pregnant women, model schools, a power sub-station, anganwadi centres, government buildings, godowns, waste management and water supply projects.

The state government is all set to bring around one crore people working in the unorganised sector under various schemes, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced here on Wednesday.

There will be extensive seminars and workshops from the district to block levels across the state to make the beneficiaries aware of the scheme.

"We must take the schemes to the grass-root level and the beneficiaries should know the scheme details," she said, adding: "There will be camps for awareness campaigns and all out efforts will be made to support the beneficiaries."

Banerjee said Bengal was the only state in the country to have waived land tax for the farmers. Various schemes have been taken over the past six years to assist them in all possible ways. Kishan mandis have been set up in various areas to safeguard farmers' interests from the clutches of middlemen. She said that with the help of Kanyashree, Yubashree and Swami Vivekenanda scholarships, thousands of students had been helped to pursue higher studies. Under the Sabuj Sathi scheme, around 30 lakh students of Classes IX to XII in state-run, sponsored and aided schools have been given bicycles and another 35 lakh students will be brought under its ambit. The schemes like Gatidhara and Jaldhara have benefitted thousands of unemployed youth, she maintained. She also announced that there would be fair price medicine shops in Gangarampur.

She said that with the help of Kanyashree, Yubashree and Swami Vivekenanda scholarships, thousands of students had been helped to pursue higher studies. Under the Sabuj Sathi scheme, around 30 lakh students of Classes IX to XII in state-run, sponsored and aided schools have been given bicycles and another 35 lakh students will be brought under its ambit. The schemes like Gatidhara and Jaldhara have benefitted thousands of unemployed youth, she maintained. She also announced that there would be fair price medicine shops in Gangarampur.