Jagdeep Dhankhar shares Mamata’s views of no politics over cyclone relief distribution

“All agencies are working… (I think) time is (that) agencies must come forward, the government must come forward and NGOs also must come forward for those who have (suffered) loss of property or life… I am all for it. I do not want any politics,” Dhankhar told reporters here.

“I urge people not to do politics. The moment you put politics into governance it will somewhere damage the fabric of democracy,” he added.

His reaction came a day after Union minister Babul Supriyo had faced massive protests and was asked to go back by a group of people when he had visited the South 24 Parganas district to take stock of the situation in cyclone Bulbul-ravaged areas.

Supriyo who on Wednesday said that he was asked by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit the cyclonic storm-affected areas in Bengal had claimed that those holding agitation against him were workers of the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC).

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee after conducting an aerial survey of the storm-ravaged areas of the state Namkhana and Bakkhali on Monday and Basirhat on Wednesday- urged people to stay positive and not to indulge in politics while providing help to those affected by the cyclone.

“Nobody should do politics over the distribution of relief material. Relief material should be distributed irrespective of political identities,” Banerjee had said at the administrative review meeting at Basirhat on Wednesday.

It must be mentioned that Dhankhar, who has been at loggerheads with the state government over several issues, had lauded the chief minister’s role in leading from the front as the state government and other central agencies worked in synergy to minimise the impact of cyclone Bulbul.

About visiting the cyclone-affected areas of the state, Dhankhar said, “Whether, I will visit cyclone Bulbul-affected parts, I will decide after accessing the situation… if my visit is required (putting emphasis) I will go.”

At least nine people have lost their lives in the calamity – five from North 24 Parganas, three from South 24 Parganas and one from Purba Midnapore – while seven fishermen were still missing, Banerjee had said during an administrative review meeting held in Basirhat on Wednesday.

However, other sources have said that 14 people lost their lives in Bengal in the cyclone Bulbul that had badly hit three West Bengal districts of South 24 Parganas, North 24 Parganas, and Medinipur.

As many as six lakh people have been affected and over five lakh houses damaged due to the cyclone, which made landfall late on Saturday between Sagar Islands in West Bengal and Khepupara in Bangladesh.