Mamata Banerjee Slams Centre Over Cooking Gas Price Hike, Calls It ‘Harassment of Common People’
West Bengal CM says rising LPG prices will burden ordinary families as women plan protests across the state.
Mamata Banerjee on Sunday strongly criticised the Union government over the recent increase in cooking gas prices, alleging that the move will put additional pressure on ordinary households.
The Chief Minister said her government has always tried to stand with people at every level, while accusing the Centre and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of making policies that create difficulties for citizens.
“The way the price of cooking gas has been increased will definitely affect the lives of common people,” Banerjee said, adding that women across West Bengal would stage protests against the price hike. She said many women planned to wear black sarees while taking to the streets as a mark of protest.
Speaking on the occasion of International Women’s Day, Banerjee said that for her, every day is dedicated to women’s welfare.
She emphasised that a society cannot progress if women and girls are not given proper opportunities. According to her, the West Bengal government has introduced several programmes over the past 15 years to support women and help them progress in different areas of life.
Banerjee also highlighted various women-focused welfare initiatives introduced by the state government under the leadership of the All India Trinamool Congress.
The Chief Minister further claimed that Kolkata remains the safest city in India for women. She said the Union government has also acknowledged this in the past.
To further improve safety, she noted that Kolkata Police has recently introduced initiatives such as the ‘Pink Booth’ and the all-women ‘SHINING’ mobile services, which are aimed at making women feel safer, especially during night hours.
However, leaders from the West Bengal unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party criticised Banerjee’s claims regarding women’s safety in the state. They alleged that incidents of serious crimes, including rape and murder, continue to occur and questioned the government’s record on law and order.
