CM unveils project to repair 12,000 km of roads

With eye on Assembly polls, Mamata lauds state govt schemes over Central schemes, Bista questions funds for GTA

MANAS R BANNERJEE, SNS, SILIGURLI, 1 OCTOBER 2020: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today came down heavily on the Uttar Pradesh police for allegedly burning a rape victim at Hasrath and for alleged police inaction in the case.

Addressing the inauguration function of ' Pathashree Avijaan,' a project to reconstruct and maintain 1200 km of roads across the state, at Dhantala near Uttarkanya here today, Miss Banerjee said: "Dalit people have been tortured. What is happening there? As elections come, they eat food, which come from outside, in Dalit's house. After that they torture them."

Quoting the role of Sita from the Ramayana, the CM further said: "Police should take proper action against the crime, but after the rape, they burned the rape victim. Our police take action quickly. UP police should have taken appropriate action quickly when criminals wanted to burn both the girl and her mother."

"They not only torture Dalits, but also other minority people and castes from general to Rajbanshi," Miss Banerjee said.

Not naming Prime Minister Narendra Modi, she said that "they" failed to keep their commitments and the promise for the development of the Rajbanshi people. "They give false promises. Have they opened closed tea gardens despite the promise? Anyone who gives a word but cannot keep it, I think, is not human. Those people should not do politics," she said.

Keeping in mind the next Assembly elections, Miss Banerjee showcased the various schemes of her government for the people in different sectors to beat the central government's schemes from agriculture to health.

Miss Banerjee today ensured that the people who came from Bangladesh are citizens and they would be given free-hold land deeds at the place where they are living. She also ensured that her government will provide land deeds for people who are living on private, state and central government land under the refugee rehabilitation scheme.

The CM also handed over a letter of allotment of Rs 3 crore to the Namo Sudra Welfare Board, Rs 10 crore to the Terai Dooars Development and Cultural Board, Rs 10 crore to the Adivasi Development and Cultural Board and Rs 25 crore, the remaining part of the total allotment of Rs 175 crore, to the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA). Newly-appointed Chief Secretary Alapan Bandyopadhaya said the state finance department readied the papers overnight after Miss Banerjee announced it yesterday during the meeting held at Uttarkanya.

Bista questions funds for GTA

On the other hand, Darjeeling's BJP MP Raju Bista, criticized the CM for allotting the funds to the GTA, among other things.

"Like a regent, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced a cheque of Rs 175 crore for the GTA. I am not clear on what was the cheque for? Which other government body is given such cheque to run their affairs? On what basis and for what purpose was this fund allocated? This showcases how the GTA is being run on the whims and fancies of the TMC leader and not constitutional provisions, this is why it needs to be dissolved immediately," he said in a release.