'Do I have to sweep the streets now?' Mamata Banerjee pulls up civic body chiefs
Kolkata/IBNS: Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Monday pulled up the state's civic body chiefs stating that the streets are not clean.
"Even streets are not swept. Do I have to step out to sweep the streets now?" Banerjee said at a meeting held in the state secretariat, Nabanna, attended by municipal body chiefs, her cabinet colleagues and a few MLAs.
"Some people are taking bribes and allowing encroachment. Why don't you understand that Bengal's identity is being tarnished because you people are taking money? Wherever there is land, it is being encroached," she said.
The meeting assumes significance as the ruling TMC, which is now gearing up for the civic elections that are to be held in the state next year, was trailing in 69 out of the 121 civic bodies in the recent Lok Sabha polls, deeper scrutiny of the Lok Sabha results shows.
Raking up the issue of Bengal's identity being tarnished, Banerjee said, "A load is being placed on our shoulders. After this the state's identity will be finished. We will not find Bengali-speaking people anymore. Everyone knows Hindi and English today. I am not demeaning any language. I am making them bigger when I say this."
"Remember each state has its own identity. It has culture. We like other cultures too and respect them. But those who are embroiled in a conspiracy to spoil Bengal's identity, I am warning all of them when I say this. In exchange for money, Bengal's identity should not be spoiled. This is my first and last warning," she warned.
The Trinamool Congress chief, who is in charge of the Land Department, recently sought a report on illegal land encroachment in Bengal.
"Government property and land are being encroached and it was being allowed for money. Government property is not anyone's private property," she fumed.
Pulling up her party MLA and state minister Sujit Bose, she said, "DMs, don't listen to any MLA, MP, Minister. Don't make it a habit. Stop making money. Sujit Bose is here. Salt Lake is in a mess."
Sujit Bose is the MLA of Bidhannagar, also known as Salt Lake.
Continuing her tirade, she next inquired about the Howrah district magistrate: "Is Howrah DM here? Councillors are not there and MLAs are taking advantage. SDOs are not working. You know what advantage they are taking."
"I will not allow any illegal activity and encroachment. I will not tolerate it anymore," she said.
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