'Carnival is Bengal's pride': Mamata hits back at BJP's criticism of celebration amid floods

Siliguri (WB), Oct 7 (PTI) Bristling at the Opposition's attacks over her presence at the Durga Puja carnival in Kolkata amid floods and landslides in north Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday hit back, calling the event the state's pride, and accused her BJP rivals of "shamelessly politicising a natural calamity for narrow political gains".

Banerjee, who faced sharp attacks from BJP leaders, including LoP Suvendu Adhikari and MLA Sankar Ghosh, for attending the carnival as landslides and flash floods ravaged Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri districts, hit back saying that rescue and relief operations cannot begin "in the middle of a deluge".

"If I had gone that day, what could I have done? The administration needs time to begin work after such a disaster. The carnival is not a party function; it's an event that represents West Bengal's culture and unity. Foreign dignitaries and guests were present at the event," she said while addressing a press conference at Uttarkanya, the state secretariat in north Bengal.

"Some people have already started doing politics. Why shouldn't the carnival happen in West Bengal? It's our pride. The clubs wait for it all year, doesn't that have any value?" Banerjee said.

Rejecting allegations that her government was slow to respond, Banerjee said the administration had acted "immediately and efficiently".

"People are dying in natural disasters, yet some are saying bridges collapsed due to negligence. Bridges are collapsing in Maharashtra, Delhi, UP, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, everywhere. Even the Mahakumbh saw disasters. Did we ever politicise those?" she said.

Banerjee also accused the Centre of neglecting West Bengal in disaster funding.

"Our Public Works Department began work on the Nagrakata Bridge yesterday itself. The Centre hasn't given us a single rupee. In the last budget, West Bengal was the only state that was denied funds," she claimed.

The chief minister said that 27 deaths have been confirmed so far --including five to six children -- with 18 from Mirik and Kalimpong, and five from Nagrakata.

Among the deceased were two foreign nationals from Nepal and Bhutan.

"All bodies have not yet been identified," she noted.

North Bengal Development Minister Udayan Guha told PTI that the death toll has risen to 32 and six people were still missing, as the administration, assisted by the NDRF, was making efforts to trace them.

Banerjee said 15-day jobs will be provided to affected families and community kitchens will run "as long as displaced people cannot return home".

Relief kits with food, clothes, and cooking gas are being distributed, she said, adding that electricity poles worth crores have been washed away.

"We are taking all precautions to prevent electrocution and other accidents. In just 12 hours, the region saw 300 mm of rain. Water was released from 56 rivers, and Sikkim's 14 hydel projects made matters worse," she said.

Warning against environmental degradation, Banerjee remarked, "You cannot torture nature and expect mercy. Look at Florida (US), thousands drowned there too. Hills and forests have both suffered here." The chief minister said she had been monitoring the situation "from the very first hour".

"On the night of the disaster itself, the administration issued alerts, which helped us avert a bigger tragedy. If I had rushed immediately, the district administration would have wasted time managing my visit instead of rescuing people," she said.

"Rescue takes at least 48 hours to begin after such calamities," Banerjee said, recalling that she had held a meeting with the chief secretary and the DGP at 5 am on October 4, followed by a virtual meeting with district officials.

Taking a veiled swipe at BJP leaders visiting hills as "VIP visitors", Banerjee said, "Some people are moving around with 30-40 cars in convoy, damaging rural roads. I have given strict instructions that no one should use more than three vehicles." Banerjee promised to return to north Bengal "in a couple of days" after the full field survey of damage is complete.

"We have done what was possible in the first phase. The rest will follow. Our focus is on relief, not politics," she said. PTI PNT ACD