With vegetable prices in the city shooting through the roof and Covid cases witnessing an abnormal spurt post-Durga Puja, the CPI-M has lashed out at the Mamata Banerjee government for “touring” other states and allegedly turning a blind eye to the matters of state administration in West Bengal where her party is in power.

The CPI-M criticised what it termed as irresponsible behaviour of the state government led by chief minister Mamata Banerjee who is off late seen campaigning in other states such as Tripura and Goa.

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With a hike of Rs 10 to Rs 20 in vegetable prices in Bengal, the senior CPI-M leader and spokesperson Sujan Chakraborty criticised the Trinamul government, asking the state government as to what they think people are going to eat and how will they survive.

Reacting to the price hike, he said despite the abnormal increase in prices of essential commodities, the chief minister Mamata Banerjee seems uninterested in the affairs of the state and has instead kept herself preoccupied with touring other states.

“She is travelling from mountains to the seas and giving tall speeches. It seems as if she is promoting tourism. What about the affairs of Bengal where people are struggling to afford their daily bread?”

Further commenting on the Covid spurt after Durga Puja, he said that it is the state government that needs to shoulder the blame for this rise. “The erroneous decisions that concern abnormal relaxations during the carnival have led to this serious situation where Covid cases are rapidly mushrooming in the state, especially in Kolkata”.

“There was ample time after the second wave to take all necessary measures to prevent a third wave. All medical experts had warned the state government not to rush with Durga Puja celebrations but the chief minister Mamata Banerjee who has not been able to inaugurate or pave the way for a single factory and industry in this state went on a massive puja pandal inauguration spree by visiting at least 20 to 30 pandals.

The TMC ministers literally got into a competition as to who can inaugurate how many pujas. This irresponsible behaviour brought forth the danger of the third wave in this state. There is still time for the state government to become aware of the danger and act responsibly through proper planning instead of touring other states” said Chakraborty and questioned whether the Mamata government is a “sarkar (govt) or circus”.

Lately, the CPI-M also criticised the rallies held by TMC in states such as Tripura and Goa where the CPI-M claimed that a large number of TMC party workers are being taken from Bengal to these states in order to deceive people into thinking that the crowd gathered for the rallies are but the people of that particular state.

A CPI-M member said that by doing this, the TMC is also putting other states in danger of another Covid surge apart from Bengal.