Bengal consistently deprived during floods, erosion: CM lashes out at BJP
Kolkata: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday lashed out at the BJP for their alleged indifference to the aggravating erosion issue of Murshidabad district and accused them of attempts to divide people along religious lines in the state. Banerjee further warned the residents of the district not to be provoked by anybody and cross the border. Large parts of the district share its border with Bangladesh.
“During elections, they come here with their Hindu-Muslim politics. They come here to create division and make brothers fight each other but when the river banks are eroded and floods destroy everything, they simply turn a blind eye. Bengal has been consistently deprived during floods and erosion,” said Mamata while addressing a state government distribution programme at Murshidabad on Monday.
She announced an allocation of Rs 62.61 crore for curbing erosion of Ganga-Bhagirathi river in the district and said that her government had earlier spent about Rs 400 crore to address erosion.
“There was a scheme of the Central government earlier for preventing river bank erosion. Earlier, the Centre used to control floods but now even when houses, temples, mosques, agricultural lands are gobbled by the swelling river or flood, the Centre hardly provides any assistance and we have to take all possible measures,” said Banerjee.
Highlighting the issue of river embankment erosion which is a major crisis affecting various parts of Murshidabad, she stated that 1,500 hectares of land have been devoured by the Ganga River.
“There are some people whose objective is to sow the seeds of disturbance between two countries and flee away. So, you should not fall prey to any sort of provocation. The Border Security Force (BSF) should come forward to uphold peace on the border. I will direct the local police to carry out miking in the border and appeal not to cross the border and return if anybody has done so,” said Banerjee appealing to the common people not to take up law in their own hands.
Speaking on the issue of OBC certificates whose distribution has been stalled presently, Banerjee lashed out at the BJP and said that there has been litigation associated with it. “Those whose OBC certificates have been cancelled due to court order, should not worry. We have moved the Supreme Court and have engaged competent lawyers. We are trying our best to clear the logjam as quickly as possible. Appointments of 26,000 teachers have been cancelled through politics. They are trying to wrest control of waqf property, push for NRC and snatch away OBC reservation, all these are BJP’s agenda. I will not allow any of these in Bengal,” she reiterated.
