Panic over coronavirus to divert focus from Delhi riots: Mamata Banerjee

TMC supremo and West Bengal's Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accused the Centre and a section of media of spreading panic about COVID-19 to deflect public attention from Delhi violence. Banerjee also said that she was misquoted by media on Tuesday over the citizenship issue of Bangladeshi people who have settled in India.

Buniyadpur (West Bengal): Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday alleged that the Centre and a section of media were playing up the spread of Coronavirus to divert the attention from Delhi riots.

Addressing a TMC meeting at South Dinajpur, Banerjee accused the Centre of spreading panic about COVID-19 to deflect public attention from Delhi violence. The West Bengal CM said people who died in Delhi did not die due to ‘coronavirus'.

"Today some people are shouting corona, corona [coronavirus] a bit too much. Yes, it's a dreadful disease but don't create panic. Some television channels are creating hype over it to suppress Delhi violence. Do report when it occurs. We don't want the disease to spread, but don't create panic," she told.

A total of 28 COVID-19 positive cases have been detected in India so far, according to Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan. However, no cases have been reported in West Bengal.

"Those who died in Delhi violence, didn't die of coronavirus or any other disease. If they had died from the virus, we would have at least known they died due to it. But healthy and happy people were mercilessly burnt to death and killed," she said.

TMC Supremo reiterated that the BJP at the Centre did not even care to apologise. "Think of their arrogance. They are saying Goli Maro...let me warn them Bengal and Delhi are not the same."

She claimed hundreds of people have gone missing in the national capital after the riots and bodies are still being recovered from drains.

"The situation in Delhi is pathetic. There are heaps of bodies. So many people have become homeless. Bodies are being recovered from drains. Seven hundred people are still missing," she said.

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The Chief Minister said she was misquoted by media on Tuesday over the citizenship issue of Bangladeshi people who have settled in India.

"I never said Bangladeshis who have come to this country are Indian citizens. During partition, many from Pakistan came to our country. People from Gujarat, Punjab, Delhi and Bangladesh settled in Bengal.

"After these (refugees) came, Nehru-Liaquat Pact was signed which granted citizenship to those who had crossed over to India from Pakistan. Again, in 1971 during the (Bangladesh)liberation war, there was a treaty between Indira Gandhi and Sheikh Mujibur Rahman which granted Indian citizenship to refugees from that country. I was speaking about them," she said.

Banerjee said she was referring to these people, who are bonafide citizens of this country and wondered why they should be asked by the BJP government to submit fresh proof of citizenship. She also accused the BJP of perpetrating atrocities on Dalits and claimed the saffron party had a tacit understanding with the Congress and CPI(M) with an eye on the West Bengal Assembly elections. (PTI REPORT)

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