By IANS,
Kolkata : Lashing out at a section of media and corporate houses for trying to force her to take up anti-people policies, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Monday accused them of indulging in “filthy politics” in order to make the government act in favour of the jailed AMRI bosses.
“All corporate and media houses are not bad but a section of corporate entities which also run media houses have been forcing us to lift the land ceiling policy in the city. Once upon a time, they were impartial. But now, they are acting according to their business interest,” said Banerjee in an interview to a news channel.
“They wanted me to lift the land policy so that only rich people can get the benefit of it. My question is that then what will happen to poor people. They wanted to acquire Wakf property for buildings. I will not allow this,” she said.
Banerjee claimed that a section of corporates and media had been trying to put pressure on her after the AMRI incident which culminated with the arrest of the AMRI bosses.
“Everything started after this case of AMRI. So many people died in the accident. The law has taken its own course. I cannot interfere with the proceedings of law. They (section of corporates and media) were trying to set up the thing as if it were Marwari versus Bengali,” she said.
“A murderer is a criminal. He doesn’t belong to any caste or creed. This is filthy politics for personal vested interests which has started after the AMRI incident,” she said.
Earlier this month, gynaecologist and AMRI Hospital director Pranab Dasgupta was granted bail by a court in the fire tragedy case. He is the third director to be granted bail. Earlier, Mani Chhetri was given relief Feb 2, while R.S. Agarwal – hospitalised ever since his arrest Dec 9 – was ordered by the Calcutta High Court to be released on bail Feb 17.
The West Bengal government is mulling to move the Supreme Court against Agarwal’s bail.
The Dec 9 blaze at 3.30 a.m. in the hospital in south Kolkata’s Dhakuria choked 94 people to death, mostly critically ill patients — many of them in their sleep — and two nurses, while most doctors and other staffers were able to get away.
Seven directors including Shrachi Group chairman S.K. Todi, his counterpart in the Emami Group, R.S. Goenka and four other employees continue to be behind bars.