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By: Express News Service | Kolkata |
October 2, 2020 5:42:58 am
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee lays the foundation stone of the ‘Pathasree’ project in Jalpaiguri on Thursday. (Express Photo)Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday said that she was at a loss of words to denounce the “barbaric and shameful” gangrape of a 19-year-old girl at Hathras in Uttar Pradesh. The victim died at Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi on Tuesday.
“Have no words to condemn the barbaric & shameful incident at Hathras involving a young Dalit girl. My deepest condolences to the family. More shameful is the forceful cremation without the family’s presence or consent, exposing those who use slogans & lofty promises for votes,” tweeted the CM who is on a three-day trip in north Bengal to hold administrative review meetings.
Later, Banerjee stepped up her attack in Jalpaiguri where she inaugurated the “Pathasree” project, under which 12,000-km road will be built and maintenance of existing roads across the state will be carried out.
Without naming the BJP, she said: “I don’t know what is happening in Uttar Pradesh. Is this rule of law? How can the police set fire to a body of a girl who has been raped… This is not only happening to a Dalit, but also to those belonging to the minority communities, and even general caste… They made hollow promises to the Rajbanshis, said would reopen seven tea gardens, but did nothing. We never make false promises. We only promise what we can deliver.”
Explained
Two-pronged strategy
Mamata Banerjee has been stepping up her attacks on the BJP in the state as well as its governments at the Centre and other parts of India with political calculations about next year’s Assembly polls in mind. On Thursday, she not only criticised the BJP administration’s handling of the Hathras gang rape and murder, but also excoriated the saffron party’s promises to North Bengal ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. With her announcements, Banerjee tried to prove that her administration’s focus was on integrated development of the region.
Banerjee added, “Once Goddess Sita had to go through ‘Agni Pariksha’ (test by fire). Now in UP, the woman was raped, and later her body was put on a funeral pyre,” Banerjee said.
Criticising the Hathras incident, Trinamool Youth Congress president and Diamond Harbour MP Abhishek Banerjee on Thursday tweeted, “She couldn’t live with dignity & BJP UP Govt ensured she didn’t die with dignity either. Absolutely monstrous to not allow the mother to see her child for one last time. This is the shameful reality of @BJP4India harping sweet talks of women empowerment & Beti Bachao Beti Padhao.”
While inaugurating the “Pathasree” project, Banerjee said, “When we came to power in 2011, there was 92,023-km road in this state. Now, it has increased to 3,16,730 km.”
Announcing that the project will continue for 15 days and will cost Rs 500 crore, she added, “We believe that road is the only way to civilisation. So, we give utmost importance to building roads.”
The CM also he also extended financial assistance to four development boards. She offered Rs 3 crore to Namashudra Development Board, Rs 10 crore each to Tarai-Duars Development and Cultural Board and Adivasi Development and Cultural Board and Rs 25 crore to Gorkha Territorial Administration.
With Inputs From PTI
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