West Bengal: Total lockdown from 7pm-7am, but won’t impose ‘curfew’ on people, says CM Mamata Banerjee
KOLKATA: Bengal’s Lockdown 4.0 will continue to be “complete” from 7pm to 7am till May 31 but the state will not impose the word “curfew” on people.
CM Mamata Banerjee on Monday announced the start of the fourth phase of the countrywide lockdown in Bengal with a host of relaxations but insisted that her government would not impose “the word curfew on people”. “I urge everyone to follow norms but we will not implement any curfew. We will, instead, ask people to stay at home during this time. We will not allow anyone on the street in the evening,” the CM said.
Banerjee also targeted the Centre’s “meaningless packages” unveiled last week, adding that the “rasagolla, biryani and rajbhog” announced by Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman would amount to only 0.5% of the state’s resources, and repeated her appeal to “some political parties” not to indulge in communal politics in the runup to Eid next week. “I would also appeal for Eid observance at home,” she said, appealing to people to not give anyone a chance to “run false propaganda or conspiracies against you”.
The Bengal government would requisition 120 more trains within two-three days to bring home Bengal migrants stranded in other states, Banerjee said. “We have already requisitioned 105 trains; 15 have already reached Bengal. We will now write to railways ministry for 120 more trains. Our government will pay Rs 10 lakh for each train so that migrant workers can return free of cost. So about 10 trains will reach Bengal daily,” she said, adding that 2.5-3 lakh people had already reached home by train and bus.
“Each train used to carry 1,200 passengers. But now they can carry 1,800,” Banerjee said, implying around 18,000 people would be reaching Bengal every day over the next few weeks.
Banerjee urged other states to send Bengal migrants back home by bus as her government had done for migrants travelling out of Bengal. “The Maharashtra government has requested us to send migrants held up here. We will be doing that. But we will expect reciprocation from other states,” she added, trashing union railway minister Piyush Goyal’s claims that the Bengal government’s initiative was “meagre” considering there were 20-30 lakh Bengal migrants in other states.
In reply to Union railway minister Piyush Goyal’s claims, Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee said at Nabanna on Monday: “This is not true. The number is much less. We also have records of Bengal migrants in other states. I would appeal to the opposition to not provoke migrants who have already faced so much of hardship. Many states did not provide food and shelter to these people. Political parties trying to incite sentiments are actually helping the spread of the virus.”
The CM acknowledged there was resistance at village level. “Give us some time to take back migrants in a phased manner. And, please, don’t come to the state border after 7 pm,” she added.
CM Mamata Banerjee on Monday announced the start of the fourth phase of the countrywide lockdown in Bengal with a host of relaxations but insisted that her government would not impose “the word curfew on people”. “I urge everyone to follow norms but we will not implement any curfew. We will, instead, ask people to stay at home during this time. We will not allow anyone on the street in the evening,” the CM said.
Banerjee also targeted the Centre’s “meaningless packages” unveiled last week, adding that the “rasagolla, biryani and rajbhog” announced by Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman would amount to only 0.5% of the state’s resources, and repeated her appeal to “some political parties” not to indulge in communal politics in the runup to Eid next week. “I would also appeal for Eid observance at home,” she said, appealing to people to not give anyone a chance to “run false propaganda or conspiracies against you”.
The Bengal government would requisition 120 more trains within two-three days to bring home Bengal migrants stranded in other states, Banerjee said. “We have already requisitioned 105 trains; 15 have already reached Bengal. We will now write to railways ministry for 120 more trains. Our government will pay Rs 10 lakh for each train so that migrant workers can return free of cost. So about 10 trains will reach Bengal daily,” she said, adding that 2.5-3 lakh people had already reached home by train and bus.
“Each train used to carry 1,200 passengers. But now they can carry 1,800,” Banerjee said, implying around 18,000 people would be reaching Bengal every day over the next few weeks.
Banerjee urged other states to send Bengal migrants back home by bus as her government had done for migrants travelling out of Bengal. “The Maharashtra government has requested us to send migrants held up here. We will be doing that. But we will expect reciprocation from other states,” she added, trashing union railway minister Piyush Goyal’s claims that the Bengal government’s initiative was “meagre” considering there were 20-30 lakh Bengal migrants in other states.
In reply to Union railway minister Piyush Goyal’s claims, Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee said at Nabanna on Monday: “This is not true. The number is much less. We also have records of Bengal migrants in other states. I would appeal to the opposition to not provoke migrants who have already faced so much of hardship. Many states did not provide food and shelter to these people. Political parties trying to incite sentiments are actually helping the spread of the virus.”
The CM acknowledged there was resistance at village level. “Give us some time to take back migrants in a phased manner. And, please, don’t come to the state border after 7 pm,” she added.
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