JOIN USCentre targeting West Bengal over Covid-19 with eye on election, says CM Mamata Banerjee
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday accused the Centre of unduly targeting the state government over the Covid-19 situation as the Assembly election was less than a year away. She also accused the Centre of doing precious little to cooperate with the state in dealing with the pandemic.
“Why are you (Centre) always targeting Bengal? Just because Assembly elections will be held next year? You are raising so much hue and cry but what have you done (for Bengal)?” asked Mamata. She was speaking to reporters at the State Secretariat.
Expressing her displeasure over recent agitations at certain health facilities in the state over treatment of Covid-19 patients the visibly agitated Chief Minister asked how much can one expect the government to do.
“How much do you expect the government to do? We also have our limitations. Despite that, we are providing free treatment, ration, financial aid under several schemes and compensation for cyclone-affected people,” said Mamata.
Lashing out at the Opposition over unfair criticism of her government, she said that only in Bengal, salaries of government employees have neither been delayed nor reduced despite receiving no assistance from the Centre.
Referring to the recent spike in cases in the state, Banerjee urged people not to panic and added that 4000 additional beds will be arranged for Covid-19 patients.
Earlier, the Chief Minister had said that the number of cases will increase in Bengal in the coming days as the state government will ramp up testing, tracing and tracking.
Mamata also lashed out at Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar for his relentless criticism of the state government with regard to law and order and Covid-19 situation. She said that if the Governor cannot prove his allegation that the death of MLA Debendra Nath Roy was a “political murder”, he will lose moral right to remain in his post.
Mamata also said that a Governor cannot speak like a political party.