Shun hooliganism or face wrath: Mamata Banerjee

Kolkata: Warning those who have been indulging in vandalism and violence in hospitals, schools and other such places of strong action, chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday vowed to bring to an end “this culture of destruction”.

Ms Banerjee made it clear that her government would not tolerate vandalism at public or private properties. Vowing to end the “Bhenge dao, guriye dao” culture, she said: “I take this as a challenge.”

Ms Banerjee was infuriated by the partial demolition of a private school building at Baguiati by some musclemen of a promoter who wanted to construct a residential building on the land.

“There should be a limit to human greed. How can they think of pulling down a school to construct a building? This kind of activities will not be tolerated,” she added.

Ms Banerjee was speaking at an event at the Netaji Indoor Stadium organised by youth services and sports department on Monday. A number of sportspersons and coaches were also honoured.

The chief minister said that classes have resumed at the school after some repair work, and said that the government would reconstruct the damaged part of the school. “Don’t underestimate the government. There is no reason to think the state government is weak,” she said.

This is the second time in three days, that Ms Banerjee had so emphatically voiced her disdain over vandalism and hooliganism. Two days ago, she called upon the people to “bury” the politics of “Bhenge din, guriye din (demolition and destruction)”.

She seemed highly perturbed by the large-scale vandalism that last week rocked a private hospital CMRI in Ekbalpore area. A mob of over 150 people went on a rampage in the hospital damaging its properties following the death of a teenaged girl. They alleged she died due to medical negligence. “Of course, someone may have a grouse against a hospital. Does that mean they should go and start demolishing everything?” she asked.

Of late, there had been several incidents where government properties have been attacked or torched by angry mobs.

On January 17, irate villagers of Bhangar in South 24 Parganas torched three police vehicles and pushed four more in water bodies; on January 27 in Burdwan district, some people attacked a police station, set a portion on fire and assaulted police personnel.

The government also passed West Bengal Maintenance of Public Order (Amendment) Bill, 2017, recently, which allows stringent punishments for vandals and hooligans.  

Meanwhile, the chief minister invited Bisheswar Nandi, the coach of gymnast Dipa Karmakar, to set up an academy in her state. “Dipa’s coach has informed me about his willingness to set up an academy in Bengal,” she said.