Attempts to tarnish West Bengal's image before the world: CM Mamata

Inaugurating a slew of community Durga pujas in Kolkata and other districts of West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday alleged that some people were trying to tarnish the image of the state before the world.

The rape and murder of a woman doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9 has led to large-scale protests across the country and also in some places across the globe.

"Those who are trying to tarnish (the image of) Bengal before the world will someday realise that they cannot absolve themselves of what they are doing," she said at Chetla Agrani club, from where she also virtually inaugurated a large number of community Durga pujas in several districts.

Without naming anyone, Banerjee said that no one can rise by insulting the "mother", terming West Bengal as the mother figure.

Junior doctors in state-run medical colleges in West Bengal struck work for over a month since the gruesome crime and have resumed from Tuesday 'total cease work' demanding that the state government address various issues, including justice for the murdered post-graduate trainee and the need for enhanced safety and security in hospitals.

Inaugurating the Durga Puja of 95 Pally in south Kolkata, Banerjee said, "I know the meaning of struggle, how to start a struggle and how to end it."

Inaugurating a Durga Puja at Hatibagan in north Kolkata, Banerjee wished the people of the state on the beginning of 'Devi Paksha' (the fortnight of Goddess Durga's worship).

"Durga Puja comes once in a year, people wait for it eagerly," she said.

Banerjee had faced criticism when she had earlier called for the people to return to festivities, even as the protests over the rape-murder were raging.

The chief minister on Wednesday inaugurated the Durga pujas at Hatibagan in north Kolkata and at Selimpur, Babubagan, Jodhpur Park, 95 Pally and Chetla Agrani, known to be the domain of Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim, in south Kolkata.

At Selimpur, she said that in the festival, the new and the old come together.

The chief minister said that her government has provided financial assistance to nearly 48,000 clubs across the state for organising community Durga Puja.

The chief minister said that many districts in south Bengal are suffering from floods owing to the release of water from the dams of DVC and in north Bengal, inundation has been caused by flooding of Kosi River in Nepal.

"I have visited these places and arranged for relief to the affected people," she said, adding that one should also remember the plight of these people while celebrating Durga Puja.