'Bengal is not a beggar': Mamata Banerjee accuses Centre of discriminating against flood-hit people in north Bengal

Kolkata, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Saturday alleged that the Centre is discriminating against the flood-affected people of north Bengal despite the "gravity" of the disaster in the area and the number of deaths being similar to that in neighbouring Sikkim. She said that the Bengal government has and will continue to help Sikkim at this hour of need.

"Bengal is not a beggar", she said demanding "equality in treatment and non-discrimination in matters related to central help".

Banerjee mentioned that since the night of the flashflood, her government has sent assistance of Rs 25 crore to Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) in Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts and teams senior ministers and officials are still in the affected areas monitoring the situation in the flood-hit north Bengal districts.


"The disaster that struck our brothers and sisters in Sikkim has also struck my people in Darjeeling hills and Kalimpong also. The strategic chicken's neck area of West Bengal has been affected," she posted on X.

"Since the night of the flashflood, I am working 24X7 with my entire administration to save people from further distress and have rushed in all help, including Rs 25 crore assistance to GTA. Ministers and senior IAS officers have been sent and the teams are on the spot even now. We have helped and will help the Army authorities and the Sikkim government in every way and will work with the people of that state shoulder to shoulder," she added.

"But I am stunned by the Centre's discrimination against the affected people of Darjeeling and Kalimpong in north Bengal, despite the gravity of the disaster and a number of deaths there too. We are not beggars and we are certainly for Sikkim. But we want equality of treatment and non-discrimination in matters relating to central help in disaster management," Banerjee posted.