NEW DELHI: The West Bengal BJP on Sunday criticised chief minister Mamata Banerjee for attending the state-organised Durga Puja carnival in Kolkata while at least 20 people were reported dead in landslide-hit Darjeeling following relentless rainfall.BJP leaders accused Banerjee of being indifferent to the crisis unfolding in north Bengal, alleging that her participation in the carnival sent the wrong message at a time when parts of the state were grappling with a natural disaster.“What she has done shows the step-motherly attitude of her government towards north Bengal. It is akin to the burning of Rome while Emperor Nero was fiddling with violin,” said BJP state president and Rajya Sabha MP Samik Bhattacharya.Leader of opposition in state assembly Suvendu Adhikari also hit out at the CM, accusing her of prioritising festivities over governance. “The CM is only obsessed with ‘utsav and mela’ (festivals and fairs), turning a deaf ear to the sufferings of people,” he told reporters, demanding immediate deployment of NDRF and paramilitary forces across affected areas.At least 20 people, including children, were killed in landslides triggered by continuous downpours across Mirik and nearby areas. Villages have been cut off, homes swept away, and hundreds of tourists left stranded. Fatalities were reported from multiple locations including Sarsaly, Jasbirgaon, Mirik Basti, Dhar Gaon, Nagrakata, and near Mirik Lake, according to NDRF and district administration data.BJP MLA and chief whip Shankar Ghosh said, “The CM is busy with the carnival, while north Bengal is reeling under excessive rain and landslides.”In response, Trinamool Congress defended the chief minister’s schedule, stating that the carnival had been announced in advance and attended by dignitaries, including international guests. “The chief minister has been continuously monitoring the situation since midnight, and taking every possible step. Once the carnival gets over, she will visit the affected areas on Monday,” TMC state general secretary Kunal Ghosh said.Banerjee has described the situation in the hills as “grave” and announced compensation for the victims, though the amount has not yet been specified. She has also said to visit the affected areas on October 6.
