Bengal landslides: CPI(M) criticises CM Mamata Banerjee for participating in Kolkata Puja carnival

Kolkata, Oct 6 (PTI) The CPI(M) on Monday criticised West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for participating in a Durga Puja carnival in Kolkata even as the sub-Himalayan districts of the state reeled under heavy rain, landslides and flooding that claimed several lives.

CPI(M) state secretary Mohammed Salim said Banerjee’s actions were "insensitive" and contrary to "Bengal’s culture and humanity".

"As the hills are crying and the state is suffering from floods, the chief minister is holding celebrations," Salim told reporters at the party’s state headquarters.

Salim criticised Banerjee for blaming the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) and other states for the floods in the state.

The chief minister, who announced Rs 5 lakh ex gratia to the kin of each of those who died in the calamity in north Bengal, besides offering a job of home guard to one member of the bereaved families, has termed the situation as "manmade".

Salim demanded that the Centre declare the calamity as a national disaster and provide adequate assistance to the affected people.

While welcoming Banerjee’s appeal to political parties to come together to aid those hit by the calamity, Salim said such a gesture would have held more weight had the chief minister also acted against those responsible for Monday’s attack on BJP leaders in Jalpaiguri district’s Nagrakata area.

Maintaining that natural calamities can occur, Salim alleged that the state government was not prepared to deal with it despite forecasts of very heavy rain in sub-Himalayan West Bengal.

The CPI(M) leader said that party volunteers have already started providing relief to the affected people.

He condemned Monday's attack on Malda Uttar BJP MP Khagen Murmu and MLA Sankar Ghosh at Nagrakata.

Ghosh said they went to Jalpaiguri district's Nagrakata area to take stock of the situation there and speak to the affected people following torrential rain leading to flooding of several areas.

"The condition of politics in the state is such that there is no difference between the ruling party and the government, and not to give any space to opposition politicians," Salim said.

Terming the attack on the BJP leaders as a reflection of incidents in the saffron party-ruled Uttar Pradesh, he alleged that Mamata Banerjee dispensation was acting in the same manner.

"Banerjee feels that either she or her MLAs and MPs would do everything and no one else will be allowed to go to the affected places," Salim said.

The CPI(M) leader also criticised both the state and central governments for environmental degradation caused by unchecked dam construction, corruption, and poor maintenance of infrastructure, which he claimed had worsened the impact of the natural disaster. PTI AMR MNB