PremiumIn a video that went viral on social media, the TMC supremo can be seen stuffing the crispy hollow puris with mashed potatoes and serving them to people after dipping them in tamarind water
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West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee recently displayed her hospitality skills as she made ‘pani puris’, popularly known as ‘puchkas’ in the state, at a roadside stall in Darjeeling and served the snack to peopl visiting the hill.
A video of the West Bengal Chief Mnister making ‘puchkas’ soon went viral on social media. In the video, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo can be seen stuffing the crispy hollow puris with mashed potatoes and serving them to people after dipping them in tamarind water.
The TMC supremo had visited a self help group (SHG) operated food stall at Sunday Hatt in Darjeeling.
Sharing the video the official Twitter handle of the All India Trinamool Congress said, “Our Hon’ble Chairperson @MamataOfficial visited SHG operated food stall, Sunday Haat in Darjeeling. Showing her appreciation for the women’s hard work, she joined them in the preparation of Bengal’s favorite, Puchkas and also fed enthusiastic children the delectable snack!"
Banerjee visited Darjeeling to participate in the swearing-in ceremony of the newly elected board members of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration on Tuesday. She will participate in another programme today.
During her prevous visit to Darjeeling, Banerjee had made popular Tibetan food ‘momo’ at a roadside stall.
In 2019, she prepared tea at a stall and served it to people while returning to Kolkata from Digha.
Meanwhile, Banerjee on Tuesday called for peace and prosperity in Darjeeling and proposed a slew of projects in the hills at the swearing-in ceremony of the elected members of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA), where elections were held after a gap of 10 years.
Banerjee said she will not come to usurp power in Darjeeling and wants friendship with the people of the hills.
“I want friendship. I don’t want any quarrel. I have only one interest. The hills (must) move forward. Trust me, I will not come here to usurp power. I will come with love," said Banerjee.
While the Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha (BGPM), formed nine months ago, won 27 out of the 45 seats, the ruling Trinamool Congress won five of the 10 seats it contested, its first victory in the GTA election.
“I have never seen such a peaceful election in the hills. I don’t want a repeat of what happened in the past. Now you have to promise me one thing. Whoever may be the leader, no one will allow any trouble in the hills. If there is peace, the economy will prosper," said the chief minister.
The chief minister proposed three new satellite towns in the hills, in the fringes of Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Kurseong, which will include an industrial hub, shops, home stays, shopping malls and restaurants among others. For Mirik, she proposed an earthquake resistant eco-tourism hub.
She also proposed a slew of projects including skill training centres for job generation in the hills, schemes to boost homestays and eco-tourism centers around tea-gardens, piped drinking water for all by 2024, special business summit for hills, bottling plants around hill streams, government loan for lady drivers etc.
In 2017, during the Gorkhaland agitation, Darjeeling hills witnessed 104-day-long strike, death of 11 Gorkhaland supporters and one police officer.
The GTA election was held after 10 years amidst opposition from many political parties like the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM), Gorkha National Liberation Front, Communist Party of Revolutionary Marxists and other smaller outfits.
The BJP, which won the Darjeeling Lok Sabha seat thrice in a row since 2009, and the Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) opposed the GTA elections alongside the Communist Party of Revolutionary Marxists (CPRM) and All India Gorkha League (AIGL).