Note ban led to harassment of common people: CM

Attacking the Prime Minister once again by branding him as a dictator whose decision of demonetisation has led to harassment of people from across the country, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that the people in Bengal are comparatively in a better condition with the state government’s initiative to provide them rice at Rs 2 per kg and free of cost treatment in hospitals.

Banerjee was speaking at the inaugural ceremony of Swasthya Sathi Scheme at Netaji Indoor Stadium. Besides attacking the Centre for demonetisation, she claimed that government-run hospitals are still the best in providing treatment to the people and she also appreciated the role that doctors and nurses play for treatment of hundreds of people those visit the hospitals every day.

She said: “Demonetisation led to unnecessary harassment of common people in the country. But people here (Bengal) had a bit relief as the state government has distributed rice to more than around 8 crore. They didn’t have to worry at least to buy rice. At the same time people get free treatment in state-run hospitals. Shoes and uniforms were distributed free of cost among primary school goers. Even model test papers were given to madhyamik examinees.”

Stating that it was wrong “to run a government with commercial approach”, she said: “Such a thing happens when one runs the government as a dictator. One shouldn’t forget that a government that believes in democracy works for the people while that acts like a dictator works for personal benefit”.

Without naming Modi, she said: “One may commit a mistake. But one always gets scope to rectify it. It is sad if one forcefully continues committing the same crimes to push the country towards danger”.

She further said: “I went to districts and found people who work for 100 days job scheme couldn’t withdraw money from bank. They get around Rs 5,300 every month. Their payment has been deposited in their account. But they didn’t withdraw the money. I would like to raise a question that if a person cannot withdraw Rs 5,300 then how the Centre is claiming that they are getting Rs 24,000.”

She also expressed her annoyance for telecasting certain wrong news that was being circulated in social media in the last 15 days. People in Bengal are helped by the government even their houses get damaged during any trouble.

“We gave Rs 35,000 to a person recently for repairing of his house as it got damaged. I came to know that he didn’t get the money from the bank yet for repairing of his house,” she said adding that everyone can assess the trouble through which people had to pass due to demonetisation.