West Bengal will take care of Assam riot refugees: Mamata Banerjee

BOLPUR: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Moday said her government would take the "best care" of refugees who had crossed over to the state from Assam following the ethnic violence there.

"Refugees have crossed over to West Bengal from Assam since riots broke out at Kokrajhar and other areas and we have provided them shelter like our brothers and sisters. We will take the best of care for them," Banerjee told a public rally in this town in Birbhum district.

"These homeless people have come to Alipurduar, Kumargram and other areas of Jalpaiguri. We will take care for them and honour them as our guests," she said.

Banerjee said her government acted responsibly in the last 10 days by not giving any statement but by working to provide shelter to the homeless people.

"We consider it a greater social responsibility to take care of refugees but we will not allow CPM to make any political issue out of the sufferings of refugees," the chief minister said, adding "riots are dangerous. Nobody wants it. We will never support any rioter."

Accusing CPM of 'seeking to politicise the Assam refugee issue', Banerjee charged the Marxists with 'planning to foment riots'.