Malda incident result of Centre's interference: Mamata Banerjee

KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today termed as 'unfortunate' the killing of a RPF constable by hawkers at Malda, and said this was a result of the Centre's interference in the law and order situation in the state.

Banerjee told the Assembly that the Centre should have informed the state government about hawker eviction. The RPF did not inform the state about this as it is under the jurisdiction of the Railways.

Both hawkers and RPF had done wrong, she said, adding, the problem that took place yesterday is credited to the Centre for its interference in the law and order issue of the state.

The railway hawkers, she said, live in distress and their eviction should be carefully planned and executed and not in the abrupt manner seen yesterday.

An RPF personnel was killed and three more were injured when angry hawkers allegedly attacked Railway Protection Force office in Malda station premises yesterday after one of them was barred from doing business.

The incident took place after an RPF team asked a hawker not to sell wares at the entrance to the station, but as the hawker protested the personnel beat him up.

Stating that there was no role of state police in the incident, Banerjee said proper negotiation was needed with the hawkers and a rehabilitation package also needed to be drawn up for sustaining their livelihood.

In this regard, she said that the state government was preparing a scheme for the railway hawkers.