CM Mamata takes dig at BJP over Jahangirpuri riot; 'We don't want to bulldoze, but unite'

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, in her speech at the inaugural session of the sixth Bengal Global Business Summit (BGBS) in Kolkata, seemingly took a dig at the ruling-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for the Jahangirpuri demolition drive. While addressing leading industrialists like Gautam Adani, Sanjiv Puri, Sanjiv Goenka and Sajjan Jindal, among others, CM Banerjee said that her Trinamool Congress-led government does not want to 'bulldoze' as they don't believe in dividing the people, but they want to 'unite the people'. 

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee said, "We don’t want to bulldoze. We don’t want to divide the people, we want to unite the people. Unity is our main strength, culturally you will be very sound if you are united. But, if you are divided, it will fall. The united family is a big and successful family."

"Now we have to see improved investment in tourism sector, we have other sectors like petroleum and others also growing. We have constituted a task force under the Chief Secretary for smooth implementation of projects. I request industrial friends that now they must take the lead for doing easy business in Bengal. I also request Chief Secretary and other industrialists to take more care in order to set up an export hub in Bengal. What Bengal will do in the next 10 years, nobody in future can catch. Today, we have work on both - investment and industrial growth," she added.  

In her speech, CM Mamata also claimed that West Bengal was the first state to organise a physical business summit since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. In an attempt to boost business opportunities in West Bengal, the TMC leader said, "It is the gateway to eastern and north-eastern India, neighbouring Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal as well as South East Asia."

Centre says 'no community targeted' in Jahangirpuri case

In a major development, the Supreme Court, on Thursday, extended the halt on the North Delhi Municipal Corporation's (NDMC) demolition drive until further orders. The decision was taken by the two-judge bench of Justices L Nageswara Rao and BR Gavai who also issued a notice to the central government and others on the plea filed by the Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind. 

After the violent clashes took place in Delhi's Jahangirpuri area, the NDMC launched a two-day demolition drive against illegal constructions and encroachments in the area, which several people started opposing alleging that it is being done to target a specific community. Intervening in the matter, the Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered a status quo on the drive further stopping the authorities from proceeding further. 

Image: PTI