PM not replying to request to name Ganga Sagar Mela as a nat'l fair: CM
Sagar Island: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday accused the Centre of stepmotherly attitude towards Bengal as it discriminates Kumbh Mela with Ganga Sagar Mela by not allocating any fund for the latter where at least 30 lakh people visit to take holy dip at confluence of river Ganga and Bay of Bengal.
In the same breath, Banerjee also hit out at the Centre for not replying to her letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting to declare Ganga Sagar as a national fair.
She also expressed her annoyance as the Centre did not take up the project to construct the bridge across river Muriganga to connect Sagar Island with the mainland.
Banerjee said after offering puja at Kapil Muni Temple on the first day of her three-day trip to Sagar Island to take stock of the preparations for the forthcoming Ganga Sagar Mela that would continue from January 8 to 16.
This comes when Mohanta Gyan Das of Kapil Muni Ashram at Ganga Sagar praised Banerjee saying that he wants her to be the next Prime Minister of the country for an overall development of India.
"We want Didi to be the Prime Minister in 2024. Only she can ensure an overall development of the state. The longstanding demand of declaring Ganga Sagar Mela as a national fair will also get fulfilled once she becomes the Prime Minister," Mohanta Gyan Das said.
He also said it is for the first time in the state's history when someone from Sagar Island has been given a berth in the state cabinet and it has become possible only because of the Chief Minister. Sagar MLA Bankim Hazra has been made the Sunderban Affairs minister after Banerjee came to power for the third consecutive time.
Reacting to a question whether any attempts would be taken for declaring Ganga Sagar Mela as a heritage by UNESCO, Banerjee said: "Nothing can be said right at this moment in this regard. We had to fight for a long time for adding Durga Puja to UNESCO's Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Centre provided financial support for Kumbh Mela. But there is nothing as such for Ganga Sagar Mela. Is it not a stepmotherly attitude towards Ganga Sagar Mela?"
When asked about the Centre's stand towards announcing Ganga Sagar Mela as a national fair, she said: "I have written several times to the Prime Minister in this regard. If Kumbh Mela is number one then Ganga Sagar Mela is number two in the country. Ganga Sagar Mela is unique as there is no road or rail link unlike Kumbh Mela. Around 30 lakh people need to cross wide Muriganga to reach here. However, transport arrangement has improved and people can now visit the place repeated times".
She urged pilgrims to use mask and follow Covid norms. She would be holding the administrative review meeting of South 24-Parganas district on Wednesday at Sagar Island itself.
She also visited the camp of Bharat Sewa Ashram.
Besides introducing a series of online initiatives including e-darshan, e-snan, digital strips for missing personnel and Covid watch software, the state government along with active participation of the district administration has taken an endeavour to ensure a plastic free environment friendly Ganga Sagar Mela, besides a Dhyan Kendra will be set up at Ganga Sagar.
