In Rampurhat after 3 Days of Arson, Mamata Offers Jobs, Ex-gratia; BJP Says 'Cat on Hajj after Killing 100 Mice'

Amid a massive political storm over the Birbhum violence, West Bengal Chief Minister paid a visit to the Rampurhat town and announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh each to the family of those who died in the arson and Rs 2 lakh for those whose houses were damaged in the fire.

Further, Mamata Banerjee also promised jobs to the relatives of the deceased and ordered the DG to arrest TMC block president in Rampurhat, with an ultimatum that either he surrenders or police finds him.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was quick to take a jibe at the chief minister, citing the Hindi idiom “100 chuhe khaa ke billi Hajj ko chali [Cat on Hajj after killing 100 mice]” which roughly means a person going on pilgrimage after committing a hundred sins.

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West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday reached Bogtui village, where eight people were burnt alive earlier this week, and spoke with the family members of those killed. She took a helicopter from Dumurjola Stadium in Howrah and landed on a helipad near the village amid tight security.

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She went to Bogtui village and spoke with the family members of those killed. The chief minister also separately spoke with the family members of slain local TMC leader Bhadu Sheikh. One of his family members fell ill while describing their ordeal to Banerjee.

Mamata Banerjee was also seen handing over cheques to the bereaved families.

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Ahead of Mamata Banerjee’s arrival at Rampurhat, BJP slammed the TMC for “decking up” the town to welcome the chief minister for her visit, the purpose of which was to take a stock of the situation after the violence.

“The local TMC unit in Birbhum’s Rampurhat is all decked up to welcome a remorseless Mamata Banerjee. She is supposedly visiting to take stock of the ghastly massacre, in which several women and children were burnt alive by those close to her regime. This is cruel, inhuman…,” BJP’s Amit Malviya said in a tweet.

https://twitter.com/amitmalviya/status/1506894707867066372

The Birbhum violence

Eight people, including three women and two children, were charred to death in Bogtui village in Rampurhat town of West Bengal’s Birbhum district in arson that was triggered by the killing of village panchayat deputy chief Bhadu Sheikh on Monday, March 20.

At least 21 people have been arrested so far in connection with the incident and several police personnel and civic volunteers removed on grounds of negligence.

The incident kicked up a political row with the opposition BJP refusing the claims of the ruling-TMC of it being a local dispute with no political connection. The BJP, citing unabated post-poll violence, has been demanding President’s Rule in the state.

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