CM lays foundation stone of Gangasagar Bridge.

Pictures BS News Agency. 

Sanchita Chatterjee, BS News Agency: Strictly criticising the central government over the Gangasagar Mela, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that although it has not been officially declared a national fair, it has already acquired national status in the eyes of the people. She also said that despite repeated requests, Gangasagar has not been declared a national fair.

At a function after the foundation stone laying ceremony of Gangasagar Bridge, Kapil Muni Temple priest Sanjay Das thanked the Chief Minister for laying the foundation stone of the bridge. The Chief Minister said that despite not getting any central assistance, the state government is constructing Gangasagar Bridge on its own. The project will be built by L&T and is expected to be completed in the next two to three years. She said that the bridge will ease the travel of lakhs of people and change the economic scenario of the entire region.

Pictures BS News Agency.  Chief Minister inaugurated several projects for South 24 Parganas district and strongly criticised the state and central BJP leaders for neglecting the Gangasagar Mela. He said that the central government may spend crores of rupees on the Kumbh Mela, but does not give a single penny for the Gangasagar Mela. Despite this, the state government has provided an insurance of Rs 5 lakh for every pilgrim who comes to the Mela. He said that from January 9 to January 17, several ministers and officials were engaged to make the Mela well-organized and beautiful.

Without naming the opposition leader, the Chief Minister said that a “traitor” came here and made misleading statements, who does not know that the state government has the power to build the Gangasagar Bridge. He reiterated that his government works for all religions.

The Chief Minister also announced a project for Ashoknagar in North 24 Parganas. From the stage, he criticized the central government on the SIR issue and said that detention camps will not be allowed to be built in Bengal. He alleged that people who have been living in Bengal for 70-80 years are also being made to stand in lines to prove their citizenship and the BJP is happy to put people in trouble. He said that an attempt is being made to take away citizenship through artificial intelligence, which will not be tolerated in Bengal.

The Chief Minister said that if necessary, she will approach the Supreme Court to protect the rights of citizens. He claimed that 81 people have lost their lives in Bengal in the name of SIR and the shortsightedness of the Election Commission is responsible for this. Expressing condolences to the families of the deceased, he said that Bengal will never bow its head and the "zamidars" of Delhi should remember the history of Bengal.