West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday claimed that her government has built more houses for the poor than Uttar Pradesh which has double the population of the State.
“I went to Uttar Pradesh and heard big advertisement that they have built 41 lakh houses for poor. I asked what is population of the State... 24 crore and in West Bengal with 10.5 or 11 crore population we have built 45 lakh houses for the poor,” Ms. Banerjee said while addressing a gathering in Kolkata.
In her first public event after returning from Uttar Pradesh where she campaigned in support of Samajwadi party leader Akhilesh Yadav, Ms Banerjee said that, “Sadhus (seers) become active just before election and are seen all over television”.
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The Trinamool Congress chairperson in her address added that a real sage is someone who gives up everything like Swami Vivekananda. Though Ms. Banerjee did not name anyone her remarks at it can be considered as an oblique reference directed at the Uttar Pradesh elections.
“When there are elections, so many people dress up like sage and are seen on television... I mean they organise events and television telecasts it the entire day. What a big sage! There are so many sages who can’t afford a meal in the country. This is the situation..A real sage, who gives up everything. Swami Vivekananda and Ramakrishna..,” Ms. Banerjee said at the event.
She also raised issues like unemployment and referred to the recent data on people taking their lives as they are not being able to find work. Ms. Banerjee alleged that the Centre was indulging in attempts to rob people of their identity by initiatives like National Register of Citizens.
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During the day the Chief Minister handed over 2,000 freehold title deeds to eligible refugee families and assured that all land occupied by such people in the State will be regularised. Ms. Banerjee said that no refugee, including Matuas, will be left out of getting freehold deeds for their land.
‘Unconditional deed’
“Not a single refugee will be left out … He or she will get unconditional deed for the land. This includes the Matuas. They will also get deeds for their land. We will not allow anybody to evict them,” Ms. Banerjee said. She also referred to the State government’s ‘Banglar Bari’ and ‘Chaa Sundari’ schemes which are aimed at giving houses to the poor.
The Chief Minister said that if the COVID-19 situation improves, she is in favour of opening up schools for students enrolled in primary classes. She suggested that students will attend schools in 50% capacity on alternate days if the situation improves.