Mamata Focused on Rath Yatra as DA Deadline Nears, Govt Risks Contempt

While the West Bengal Government looks set to miss tomorrow's deadline of paying almost Rs 10,000 crore as DA arrears to its employees following a directive from the Supreme Court, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her five senior-most Ministers are busy camping in the beach town of Digha to oversee Rath Yatra preparations.

- SUPROTIM MUKHERJEE

She is there along with her Finance Minister Chandrima Bhattacharya.

Mamata Banerjee, her Ministers and her entire top-rung administration are deeply engaged in overseeing the grand celebrations in Digha, where the first-ever Rath Yatra is being held at the newly established Jagannath Temple which has been modelled on Odisha's iconic Jagannath temple at Puri. According to sources in the State secretariat, the West Bengal Government has approached the Supreme Court to seek a revision of its previous order regarding the pending dearness allowance.

The petition includes requests for clarifications on certain aspects of last month's ruling.