West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee targets media again

KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today said that a section of the media was running a negative campaign about the education system and other areas in the state even though her government had ushered in a "lot of improvement" in the last three years.

"A section of the media is crossing all limits to create a division among students and teachers, among authorities in educational institutions and parents, but they will not succeed in spreading canards and suppressing the real facts," the chief minister said.

"Don't believe in these campaigns. This is not the real picture prevailing in the state. We have improved a lot in the last three years. There may be some scattered incidents, but they can't be generalised," Banerjee added.

She said "those who make no contribution to society have no moral right to advise others" and that "such forces only try to vitiate the atmosphere in their own interest".

She expressed confidence that Bengal would once again take a lead in education in the country and be an example for the other states.

"Once Bengal used to lead in education; we have to restore that tradition. We have to achieve this target by next year," Banerjee said while felicitating teachers and awarding best schools on the occasion of Teachers' Day today.

She lauded the teachers in the state and advised students to pay them the due respect.

Banerjee announced that her government would set up a ' West Bengal University for Teachers' Training and Education'.

She claimed that her government had worked to increase the number of colleges, universities and schools in the state in contrast to the erstwhile Left Front government.

"We have topped in the 100-days' work under MGNREGA; we are developing skills under small-scale industries and in horticulture and will definitely top in education soon," she said.