Parties spreading hatred: CM Mamata Banerjee

Kolkata: A day after Meghalaya governor Tathagata Roy’s call to boycott the Kashmiris and their products in the wake of the Pulwama attack, chief minister Mamata Banerjee has slammed him for spreading communal hatred and rumour without taking his name.

She announced that her government would provide a financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh to each family of two slain Central Reserve Police Force jawans: Sudip Biswas of Nadia and Bablu Santra of Howrah.

The chief minister added that a job would also be offered to a member of each family.

“One section of political parties/groups along with people holding constitutional positions indulging in rumour mongering, spreading hatred with dangerous statements. Even journalists not spared. This is shameless politics. What levels of polluted politics have we descended to?” she tweeted on Wednesday.

While leaving Nabanna, the state secretariat in the evening, the Trinamul Congress supremo lashed out at the BJP-led NDA rule at the centre. She  once again underlined “unity in diversity”.

“We are not fighting to divide India. That is not our goal. We want India to remain united. Unity in diversity is the base of our nation,” Ms Banerjee said. Asked about the incidents of Kashmiri people being attacked in the city she added, “Only one such incident has happened. We are taking strong action into it. They are safe here.”

The West Bengal chief minister had on Monday questioned the timing of the Pulwama attack and agressive posturing by India in its wake, asking whether the government wanted to go to war when Lok Sabha elections were round the corner.

Referring to the attack allegedly by the BJP, VHP and RSS activists on a protest rally of the Association for Protection of Democratic Rights (APDR) in the city earlier in the day, the chief minister informed that stern action would be taken. APDR general secretary Ranjti Shur claimed that a group of 15 men blocked the way of the rally at S N Banerjee Road to launch the attack.