Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday criticised the BJP government in Chhattisgarh for “failing to address” the Maoist insurgency there after 15 years in power, while she did so “in two years”. Speaking after inaugurating a Jagadhatri puja in Posta area of north Kolkata, she said, “Even today there were Maoist attacks in Chhattisgarh on polling day. They are in power there for 15 years and yet they could not address the naxal problem. In Bengal, we have solved the issue in two years after coming to power.” Polling in 18 Assembly constituencies in the first phase of the Chhattisgarh election was held Monday. These 18 constituencies fall in the Maoist-hit districts. The chief minister also accused the BJP of indulging in divisive politics during elections. “For us, politics does not mean reaching out to people only during elections. We stand by them throughout the year. BJP and CPM go to the people only during elections. We are with the people all the time, even during festivals. They play divisive politics during elections. I want to ask the BJP why are people from UP and Bihar being forced to leave Gujarat? They are also expelling Bengalis from Assam. They resort to religious politics only during elections,” she said. She also reiterated that the trading community is still suffering in the aftermath of the demonetisation and GST policies. “No one is happy today. Business is suffering. Traders are not happy. During demonetisation, I had visited Burrabazar area several times. They are asking for GST slips even for buying sweets worth a few pennies,” she said. The Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief said her government had supported replacing the earlier taxation system with the GST, but not in a hurried manner in which it was done, and that the state wanted the new tax regime to be introduced in a proper and systematic manner. She also alleged that threats of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Income Tax raids were being used to retain the support of the trading and business community. “We want the harassment of traders, businessmen, farmers, common people and everyone in the country to stop,” Banerjee said. Meanwhile the state government declared a state holiday on Tuesday on the occasion of Chhath Puja, and a sectional holiday for those who are celebrating it on the day after. WITH PTI
