KOLKATA: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday accused the Centre of opening up international borders to allow infiltration of outsiders into the state to foment trouble.
She has earlier blamed outsiders for inciting trouble in Darjeeling and Basirhat. While Darjeeling borders Nepal, Basirhat shares a border with Bangladesh.
“First, they open the borders to allow outsiders to infiltrate the state to foment trouble, then they ask us to submit reports,” she said. “Both the Central and state governments are elected bodies. Then, why is the Centre conspiring against the state? I want an answer to this,” she added.
Taking a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Trinamool Congress supremo said “The leader of a country should think of developing it and not burning it. While banks are yet to recover from the hit of demonetisation, the burden of GST has been imposed on the people. Even small children need Aadhaar cards to get mid-day meals. Terrorism in the name of cow protection is going on unabated. I urge my fellow countrymen to save India,” Mamata Banerjee said.
The Trinamool Congress supremo also accused the Centre of non-cooperation. “Despite court orders, we were not provided requisite CRPF forces and now the Centre is asking us to remove paramilitary forces from Jangalmahal which is vulnerable to Maoists from across the state borders,” Mamata Banerjee added.
Speaking on the Gorkhaland statehood agitation and Basirhat riots, she said “I have always maintained that division of the state won’t be accepted. But, some forces are constantly conspiring to create problems. Every religion and community has to come together to fight against these divisive forces.”
After the circulation of a Bhojpuri film’s scene as an image of the Basirhat riots, Mamata Banerjee hit out at the misuse of social media for perpetuating riots in the state. Meanwhile, after convening a meeting on communal riots in Basirhat subdivision on Monday, Trinamool Congress leaders decided to take to the streets against the RSS starting Wednesday.
On the other hand, unidentified people burnt down a forest office at Risheehaat near Darjeeling. There have been talks of relaxing the strike for a week only for banks to replenish the ATMs and banks with money a day before the fourth all-party meeting scheduled for Tuesday.