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Bengal

Thwart BJP's communal agenda, says Mamata

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday urged people to foil the BJP's attempt to organise communal riots in Bengal and dump it along with CPIM and Congress as they wanted to stall development in the state.

Chief Minister announced that farmers would not have to pay revenue on agricultural land and urged the Centre to waive agricultural loans. " Demonetization has hit the farmers badly and the Centre should waive the loans given to farmers." She rued the fact that banks were not giving loans to the Self Help Groups ( SHGs) and requested the authorities to take the initiative to ensure loans to the SHGs like in other states.

She also advised people to cross-check information provided by BJP in social media and WhatsApp groups as " their sole purpose was to spread canards and destabilise Bengal's communal harmony and social integrity," she said adding " BJP will not be able to make a dent here as people do not trust the party." Referring to the incident in Dhulagarh, Banerjee alleged some local leaders of BJP had asked some elements to create disturbance and promised them Rs 5 lakh for the same. Altogether 66 persons were arrested and the officer in charge was transferred. "BJP is only spreading canards and lies," she pointed out. The Chief Minister was addressing a political rally at Kharagpur on Monday afternoon.

She warned people against the CPIM- BJP alliance. "BJP and CPIM are two sides of the same coin. CPIM is now BJP's advisor and the duo is trying to oust Mamata Banerjee. But no one can touch me so long as the people of the state are behind me and if they stop supporting me I will quit," she remarked.

Criticising a BJP minister of state, Banerjee said he had recently said that the state government had asked Dakshineswar temple authorities not to blow the holy conch (mangal sankhya). "The temple has a trust and the state government does not run the temple. We respect Maa Bhabatarini, the deity and don't do politics with religion," she said. "It is most unfortunate that BJP's only aim is to drive a wedge between Hindus and Muslims. Hinduism does not believe in hatred. We have learnt to respect the faith of people belonging to other religions. We respect the Muslims, Sikhs, Parsees and this is our ethos."

She alleged that BJP was trying to stall development in Bengal. A special package has been given to Andhra Pradesh. "It is good that AP has received a special package. But, the Rs 40,000 crore which we are paying to clear our inherited debt has not been waived. Why such discrimination," she asked.

She said the state government had undertaken several schemes to develop the district. One lakh more folk artists would be given stipend taking the total to 2 lakh. Banerjee said she had asked officials to complete projects on time. The state government would set up more poultries so that the target of 80 lakh eggs could be achieved. Without naming BJP state president Dilip Ghosh who was elected from Kharagpur in the 2016 Assembly election, she said "Ask him why he is not interested in development and only fanning communal sentiments," she pointed out.

Banerjee said super speciality hospitals had come up in the district and people were getting free medicines. She also said that leaders had been instructed to observe the birth anniversary of Babasaheb Ambedkar in every block. "We should respect our constitution and not do anything that lowers its principles."

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