West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday issued a firm warning against extortionists and extortion bids in Purulia district. Banerjee is on a five-day visit to south Bengal districts where she is holding both administrative as well as public meetings.
At the administrative meeting in Purulia district, the Bengal CM said that extortionists were coming into Bengal from the neighbouring state, Jharkhand. “Unfortunately, some people here are involved too,” she said, adding that those intending to extort money should stay away from the ruling party as well as from government work.
She specified areas such as Balarampur, Jhalda and so on, from where she had received complaints on some people asking for money when certain projects were being set up.
Banerjee asked police authorities to be firm in ensuring no extortion bids take place. “It is one thing to take action after complaints are received. But how do they dare to do it in the first place?” she asked.
The CM also asked the public distribution system to ensure good quality rice reached the poor homes and people get exactly what they are allotted. “A part of the food allotted to the poor should not be taken out of their quota,” she said.
Recently, seven tribal people in the Jangal khas village of Jhargram – a tiny village with a predominant poor Shabar (tribal) population – died allegedly due to starvation. The village is close to the Jharkhand border, and adjoining Purulia district.
Seven persons in the village died over the past few months, four of them in November alone. While the government denied these were hunger deaths, the CM has been repeatedly asking the district authorities to ensure the food allotted to the poor reached them promptly.
Purulia, adjoining Jhargram, is also a dry area with extremely poor, tribal population in several villages.
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