With her long-standing demand for a loan waiver yet to be met by successive governments at the Centre, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday sought financial indepedence for states.
She said a major chunk of her state's earnings went towards servicing of debts of more than Rs 2 lakh crore, which was affecting people's welfare projects. "The Centre is taking away all our money. It is not giving us funds for 100 days' work programme. A large sum is due to us on this count. We want our economic freedom restored. We will keep protesting," Banerjee said addressing a crowd after inaugurating several development projects.
"If somebody commits a mistake, why should we be punished? This is thwarting the development of the state in every way," she said, referring to the debt burden inherited by her government from the erstwhile Left Front government.
Banerjee urged the people gathered at the Dinhata town in Coochbehar district bordering Bangladesh to keep a tab on attempts to create riots. Those who provoke riots run away after violence breaks out. Common people suffer," she said invoking Ramakrishna Paramhansa and Swami Vivekananda who taught about equality of all religions. "I chant Durga stotram during Durga Puja. I also attend Eid festivities. In a few days we will celebrate Christmas.
Just because I am a Hindu, I cannot spew venom against a Muslim. This is our value-system. Rabindranath Tagore and Kazi Nazrul Islam are our guiding lights. "A true leader is accepted by all. Gandhiji and Netaji were true leaders. Can you divide Rabindranath and Nazrul Islam? Can the human body work properly without a kidney or hand? We all are part of this nation. We must stay together," Banerjee said.
She asked people to be careful and guard against falling into traps of communal trouble. "We have started a mega road project. We will connect India with Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh," she said.
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