West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi's intervention on Wednesday and urged the BJP-led Centre not to pursue politics when the state is battling a dual crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic and trail of destruction left behind by Cyclone Amphan.
"I told Amit Shah, if you think West Bengal can't manage on its own then you come and handle. Amit Shah had then said "chune huye Sarkar ko hum kaise tod sakte hai". I thank him for saying this," Mamata Banerjee said.
She also said that PM Modi should intervene and this is no time for politics. "I appeal to the Prime Minister and Home Minister to take care of the situation. I want PM to intervene, this is no time for politics. There is a spike in cases in Bihar and other BJP ruled states. This is one country. The virus has to be stopped from spreading," West Bengal Chief Minister said.
The state's infrastructure is "stretched to its limit" after the May 20 cyclone and it can receive very few trains carrying migrant workers back on a daily basis as of now, she said.
The state considers the ferrying of a large number of migrant workers by the railways as a big problem for public health. The pressure should be "optimal and well managed", Banerjee said.
"The state government is facing a dual crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic and the devastation caused by Cyclone Amphan. Our infrastructure is completely stretched. The railways is sending Shramik Special trains to the state every day according to its whims and fancies, without even bothering to inform us," she said.
"Where will we keep these migrant labourers for institutional quarantine? This is not the time for politics. We are facing a very tough situation and we need time and space to tackle it," the chief minister said, ahead of the slated arrival of 11 Shramik Special trains in the state in the evening.
Banerjee, one of the most vocal critics of the BJP, hit out at the saffron party, saying, "They can disturb me politically, but why are they causing harm to the state? West Bengal is facing such a major disaster.
It will lead to a spike in COVID-19 cases. Who will take the responsibility then?" "I request the prime minister and Union home minister to look into the matter so that there is no spike in COVID-19 cases in the state. The prime minister should intervene," the feisty Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo said.
The TMC government had asked the railway ministry not to send Shramik Special trains to the state till May 26 in view of the devastation caused by Cyclone Amphan. However, a total of 41 such trains are scheduled to arrive in the city this week.
