MAMATA USES FLOODS TO DIVERT ATTENTION FROM HER GOVERNANCE OF STATE

With the widespread allegations of irregularities and corruption at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital that have come to light following the rape and murder of a 31-year-old junior doctor, the Mamata Banerjee Government is on the backfoot.

- SUPROTIM MUKHERJEE

Adding to the discomfiture of the ruling party has been the whole-hearted support of the general populace to the 42-day-long dharna by junior doctors. The fact that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee herself holds the Home and Health portfolios, both of which failed to perform their duties, has added to the disillusionment of even die-hard Trinamool Congress supporters.

The widespread rain earlier this week in East India, especially Jharkhand and West Bengal, caused extensive flooding in many south Bengal districts. Though it brought misery to lakhs of people, critics say it is like manna from heaven for the beleaguered Chief Minister.

"Many believe that the Trinamool from top to bottom is engaged in corruption. After the scams in Education, coal, cattle smuggling, RG Kar has showed us how those close to the party made money even by selling the dead bodies, apart from a host of other scams. Mamata Banerjee has taken up the flood issue to divert the people's attention from the wrongdoings at RG Kar," said lawyer Tarunjyoti Tiwari, who is also a BJP youth leader, told The Sunday Guardian.

As flooding caused by what Mamata Banerjee termed a "man-made disaster" continues to wreak havoc in south Bengal, she wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday (September 20), urging him to release substantial Central funds to undertake extensive flood management work in the interest of the people.

In a fourpage letter dated September 20, the West Bengal Chief Minister highlighted how the unprecedented, unplanned, and unilateral release of an enormous volume of water by the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) has devastated all districts in south Bengal, causing severe hardship to the people.

The DVC has a network of four dams — Tilaiya and Maithon on Barakar River, Panchet on Damodar river and Konar on Konar river.