Kolkata (West Bengal): When Ira Basu, the sister-in- law of the former West Bengal chief minister, Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, retired from a state government-run school at Kharda in North 24 Parganas district, Bhattacharjee himself was the chief minister of the state then. But despite that her pension problem was not solved, remarked Ira Basu after returning to her home at Kharda from Lumbini hospital on Thursday.
She added that despite that she has no grievance toward Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee or his wife Meera Bhattacharjee, who is her biological sister. "I have deep regards for both Buddadeb and Meera. They are so close to my heart," she said on Thursday.
However, now she is confident of getting her pension issues resolved since the assurance has come from Trinamool Congress's national general secretary and party general secretary, Abhishek Banerjee. "Abhishek sent his men to meet me at the hospital. They have conveyed Abhishek's assurance that my pension problem will be resolved shortly," she said.
The people of Kharda were well acquainted with this shabbily dressed woman. Although she spent days and nights on the streets but never asked for any help from anyone. But all got surprised when the media revealed her identity as the sister-in-law of Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee.
After returning to her residence at Kharda on Tuesday afternoon, she said that although she owns a house in Salt Lake she could not stay there for various reasons. "I will never tell anyone why I used to spend days and nights on the streets. This is a personal affair. If necessary I will do it again. I was tortured and threatened. I left the residence at Salt Lake because of constant threatening. I have self respect. I might starve. But I will not divulge the details, "Ira Basu said.
She is a retired teacher of state government- run Priyonath School in Kharda. She also owned a residence at Salt Lake. After her identity was revealed she was admitted to a state-run hospital, where she was under treatment.
