On way back from Birbhum, Mamata Banerjee takes time out for tribal village

By: Someshwar Boral
SANTINIKETAN: Chief minister Mamata Banerjee, on her way back to Kolkata, made a surprise visit to a tribal village, Ballavpurdanga, and listened to people’s problems on Wednesday.
In her 30-minute stay, Banerjee not only cooked and shared personal impressions with villagers but also asked officials accompanying her to address their problems immediately.
The CM, who was on a two-day visit to Birbhum, was supposed to return to Kolkata at noon on Wednesday.She started from the Rangabitan resort around noon for the Sarpukur helipad, a 10-minute drive away. On the way, she stopped in Sonajhuri area and entered the tribal village that is home to around 100 families.
Banerjee stepped out of her convoy and sat at Dada Boudir Hotel, a local eatery at the village entrance, and exchanged pleasantries with owner Babu Bagdi and his wife Menoka. “She asked what we were cooking,” Babu said later. “She also told us she loved to cook, and gave us some cooking tips. She had a cup of tea and gave me Rs 500. When I refused, she requested me to buy sweets for my children.”
Menoka said: “I said we don’t have electricity and it hinders our children’s studies. She took note of it and assured it would be sorted out soon. I’m surprised at her humility.”
Banerjee toured the village on foot and entered several houses and at many, sat with residents and asked whether they were getting all government benefits. The villagers’ complaints covered poor roads, waterlogging and not getting 100 days’ work.
She met Churki Soren, Lakshmi Soren and Moni Tudu, among others, and heard them out to know whether ‘Duare Sarkar’ had really reached doorsteps of the underprivileged.
“I told the CM we don’t have toilet and we have to go outside. She immediately asked the officials to construct toilets for us. She is very simple and listened to all our problems patiently,” Churki said.
West Bengal has 84 reserved seats, of which 68 are for SCs and the rest for STs. The state has a cumulative SC/ST population of around 3.5 core, of which 2.7 crore are from SC category and 80 lakh from ST category.
During her stay, Banerjee was assisted by Birbhum’s district magistrate Vijaya Bharati, police superintendent Shyam Singh and district Trinamool Congress president Anubrata Mondal. “She left Rangabitan resort around noon, spent around 30 minutes in the village and left for the helipad,” Bharati said after the CM had left for Nabanna.