Darjeeling BJP MP Raju Bista on Sunday lauded the Centre's decision to announce financial assistance to Sikkim for the losses it suffered because of the glacial lake outburst flood in October last year while being critical of the Bengal government.
Bista told the media here that the Mamata Banerjee government had not released adequate funds for the Kalimpong residents who were affected by the flood. The reason, he claimed, was that the Bengal government didn't announce it as a disaster, unlike Sikkim.
“The central government has allocated ₹11,474 crore under the state disaster response fund across India, and Bengal will get around ₹1,200 crore. I am hopeful that the Bengal government will use this fund to provide financial support to the victims who were affected by the flash flood in the Teesta and the landslides,” he said at the district BJP office here.
While presenting the Union budget on July 23, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman had mentioned that the Centre would assist states such as Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand that have faced natural disasters.
The Trinamool leadership, including Mamata, had expressed disappointment because Bengal did not find mention.
“Such biasness is disappointing. They can provide funds to other states... but Bengal too deserves funds as the flood had also affected hilly areas of our state,” Mamata had said.
Picking on her remarks, Raju said: “The state had funds to help victims and it would have used around 10 per cent of it, which is above ₹100 crore if it had announced the flood as a disaster. But it didn't do it.”
Political observers said the BJP MP's remarks hint at the saffron camp's determination to retain its support base in the hills.
“At a time when the BJP MLA of Kurseong is criticising its party and some other regional parties are demanding that the BJP should deliver the promise of meeting the longstanding demands of a permanent political solution and conferment of ST status to 11 hill communities, it seems the MP wants to exert pressure on the ruling dispensation,” said a veteran in hill politics.
