BJP does not value contributions of Bengal icons: CM Mamata Banerjee

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has accused the BJP of disrespecting national icons from Bengal. She criticized the party for opposing figures like Rabindranath Tagore and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. Banerjee also raised concerns about flight cancellations and the hurried implementation of the SIR process.

Kolkata: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday accused BJP of not appreciating the contributions of national icons from Bengal, and claimed that the party had earlier put restrictions on the national song 'Vande Mataram' and the patriotic slogan 'Jai Hind' in the Rajya Sabha.

"At times they oppose Gurudev (Rabindranath Tagore), Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose," Banerjee said, while referring to the discussion on 'Vande Mataram' initiated by the Prime Minister in the Lok Sabha. "Do they know about the contribution of Bengalis in the freedom movement ... Who are these people who do not know Bankim Chandra (Chattopadhyay), Netaji Subha Chandra and insult Bengalis," she asked.

Banerjee was speaking to media persons at the Kolkata airport before leaving for Cooch Behar for an official meeting.

Asked why she did not go to the Bhagavad Gita recital held in Kolkata on Sunday where she was invited, Banerjee said: "How do I go to a BJP programme ... BJP says they hate Netaji and Rabindranath Tagore. I am not with those who are anti-Bengalis." If the event was organised by some impartial body, she said, "We would have gone."

IndiGo fiasco vs SIR

"For seven days, flights were cancelled without planning, causing massive inconvenience, just like the SIR. Servers are down. Several BLOs are threatened after 10 PM (to carry out the work). BDOs are not allowed to sleep," she said, claiming: "Three BLOs have died (in Bengal). Eight BLOs have died in MP and many others died in Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and other states. Elections come and go but the government stays."

She believes passengers have a right to move the court over the difficulties they faced due to the flight cancellations, Banerjee said. The BJP-led Union government does not think of the common people, she said. "They always think of the election outcome."

On SIR, she questioned the need to do it "in a hurry". "Last time the process took two years. I cannot understand how an impartial (Election Commission) can behave with such bias...We have to conduct the SIR work along with development. This delay has been created deliberately to stall progress," the CM said. The Bengal government will set up help desks from December 12 to assist the people on SIR, she said.
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Source: EconomicTimes
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