Didi takes dig at Cong in its bastion

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today alleged that politicking was going on over the proposed AIIMS-like hospital in Raiganj, taking a dig at the state Congress leadership who have been pushing for the project.

At a public meting in Itahar in North Dinajpur, Mamata said, “A group of people are playing politics over the AIIMS-like hospital in Raiganj. If those people can arrange for 100 acres of land, I will build the hospital. I do not have any objection to setting it up, but those people who are playing politics over the project have to arrange 100 acres of land.”

It was Deepa Dasmunshi, Congress MP from Raiganj, who got the project sanctioned in 2009.

“I will not acquire land for any project if the landowners are not willing to give the land. Moreover, I will not take agricultural land. I need 100 acres of land which is not agricultural land. I cannot acquire land from the farmers at the gunpoint. I will never acquire that land even if I die,” Mamata added.

Deepa retorted that it was Mamata who was playing politics. “The project was sanctioned in 2009 for two states — Bengal and Uttar Pradesh. We have not been able to set up the hospital even after three years, but the UP government has already acquired land for the project. Moreover, the CM is asking for 100 acres of non-agricultural land, but I don’t know if there is any place in Bengal

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