Mamata Banerjee spends Rs20 crore in 1st anniversary celebration

CPI(M) Politburo member Sitaram Yechury on Sunday questioned the "extravagant" spending of the "cash-strapped" Mamata Banerjee government to mark completion of its one year in office.

While the Trinamool Congress-led government has been complaining of lack of funds due to the the debt burden of over Rstwo lakh crore, it spent Rs20 crore to celebrate the occasion through various programmes, including a fair, he said.

"This money (Rs20 crore) could have been used for the welfare of the poor people and farmers. This could have also prevented frequent farmer suicides in the state," he said at a public meeting at Belgharia, near here, this evening.

Claiming that attacks against CPI(M) workers by TC members were on the rise, Yechury said, "Going by the present trend, not just CPI(M) workers but common people would also be attacked in the future".

"People who are getting disgruntled will give a befitting reply to this," he added.