BJP state president accuses CM of wrong information

West Bengal Bharatiya Janata Party president Dilip Ghosh took a potshot at the Mamata Banerjee government saying that the Chief Minsiter had quoted figures of loss of property owing to flood without taking stock of the situation.

"Without conducting any survey it has been announced that the loss stands at Rs 14,000 crore. It started off with 55 crore and then 400 crore and now 14,000 crore. What is the basis? It makes no sense. It has been alleged that Centre is not taking any action, but the Centre has not received any data in the first place," he said.

He also said that there was a lack of preparedness on the state government's part. "Every year some places in Bengal witness flood. But there are no preventive measures to tackle with it so far. Centre gives some advance money for preparing to deal with such events. Disaster management group and NDRF people are supposed to carry out a mock drill in April on how to deal with flood, to find out which dykes need to be repaired, and whether rivers need dredging. But the state government didn't pay attention to these," he said.

Ghosh also alleged that Mamata had been trying to divert people's attention from the ongoing problem by talking about Durga puja immersion and setting dates for that. "Flood situation is out of control, relief material is being looted. But to divert the attention, she is saying idols cannot be immersed on October 1 owing to Muharrum. She is resorting to politics of polarisation," he said.

It was also found out that BJP national president Amit Shah will be in Bengal on a three-day trip from September 10 to 12. There will be several meetings with party leadership, district leaders and intellectuals. Of these meetings, at least one meeting will be organised in Kolkata with about 350 people, including State leaders, office bearers, district presidents and general secretaries.