January 9, 2020
We want everyone to be proud of their religions: Mamata Banerjee
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today addressed a large gathering in Barasat on the occasion of the inauguration of Jatra Utsab. She announced two major decisions: an increase in the annual stipend to jatra artistes from Rs 15,000 to Rs 25,000 and bringing all jatra artistes under the State mediclaim policy, Swasthya Sathi.
Highlights of her speech:
I congratulate all the jatra artistes who have been felicitated today. We have increased the annual stipend from Rs 15,000 to Rs 25,000. We have distributed six lakh kits to families affected by Cyclone Bulbul. Schemes worth Rs 350 crore were inaugurated today, of Rs 250 crore was part of new schemes.
The owners of the houses damaged while defusing a bomb in Naihati today would be compensated by the government.
We are planning to create new districts out of Basirhat and Sundarban. Both the places are already police commissionerates.
This year Jatra Utsab is also being organised in localities. Jatra upholds society. Therefore I appeal to all of you to support jatra. I want jatra artistes to get respect.
At Gangasagar, a young boy created a sand sculpture on famous people and wrote ‘No NRC’ there. I appeal to all of you to create a mass movement against NRC and CAA.
There are many refugee colonies in North 24 Parganas. The residents had requested me to to give them land deeds if I won. I have fulfilled their demand and others’ too – a total of 94 refugees colonies have been legally recognised.
You don’t need to worry about proving citizenship. The CAA will make you a foreigner for five years. You have been born and brought up in Bangla. Why should you prove citizenship once again? You have all documents.
Aadhaar card, PAN card, ration card – first they all declared these as valid proofs and then went back on their words. I tell you that it is enough that you all have your names in voter electoral rolls. We will not let anyone snatch your citizenship away. We had passed a resolution in the Assembly last September that we will not allow religion-based NRC.
A few political parties are playing the communal game. I will not allow divisions based on religion, caste or between the rich and the poor. We will not allow anyone to be thrown out of Bangla. We will guard you.
Bangla is the land of humanity, harmony, culture. We have been opposing CAA right from the beginning, when it was with the Parliamentary Standing Committee as a Bill.
The movement being seen all over India today started in Bangla. We want everyone to be proud of their religions. This movement is not of any group but a people’s movement.
