BJP slams CM for attending Carnival while N Bengal went under water

State BJP president Samik Bhattacharya on Monday criticised chief minister Mamata Banerjee for not visiting the flood-affected areas of north Bengal and alleged that she was more concerned with celebrations in Kolkata than with the plight of the people in the region.

Speaking to reporters in Siliguri, Mr Bhattacharya said: “The chief minister should have been here on Sunday to stand by the people affected by floods and landslides. Instead, she was busy attending the Carnival in Kolkata. Her presence there reflects the true character of this government, which has consistently neglected north Bengal over the past 14 years.”

Advertisement

The BJP leader questioned what the Trinamul Congress government had achieved for the development of north Bengal during its tenure. He alleged that a section of TMC leaders, along with certain bureaucrats, frequently visit the Dooars only to “loot the region.”

Mr Bhattacharya urged journalists to investigate how some of these individuals had allegedly acquired vast tracts of land in the Dooars.

Accusing the state government of overlooking environmental violations, the BJP state president claimed that illegal and unscientific mining of sand and boulders in the region had worsened the impact of the recent floods and devastation.