CM Suvendu Adhikari met Sita Mullick on Tuesday
Kolkata: A day after chief minister Suvendu Adhikari promised a roof over the head of Sita Mullick, the 60-year-old Free School Street pavement dweller who unwittingly kicked up a political storm following an encounter with state urban development minister Agnimitra Paul, the minister on Wednesday admitted that she should not have shouted at Mullick. Accusing former chief minister Mamata Banerjee of politicising the issue, Paul questioned why she had not provided homes to the homeless or extended support to families affected by Hanskhali and Kamduni rape-and-murder cases during her 15-year tenure as chief minister. Why didn’t you adopt the family of the 14-year-old girl in Hanskhali?” she asked.
Speaking on the sidelines of a programme organised by Credai Kolkata, Paul said, “I probably made a mistake by saying in that manner. However, according to sources, she left the shelter, refusing to share space with strangers. We have asked her to stay at the shelter for the time being,” said Navin Mishra, a senior BJP neta in the Park Street area.
I should have explained things to her properly. The minister, however, maintained her stand on keeping pavements clear. “She has been put up at the central Kolkata shelter home of KMC. We have assured her that since CM has promised her a roof, she will get a separate home. But the formalities may take some time. “You talk about adoption.
What did you (Left Front) do in 34 years? What did the previous chief minister do in 15 years? Why were they not provided shelters in the last 50 years?
The minister went on to attack opposition parties which had accused her of being inhuman after the video went viral. “Don’t offer us lessons on humanity. Why were pavement-dwellers not provided homes under PMAY ? This is all drama… But we will give them shelters. Our CM has already taken her (Sita) to a shelter home, and we will take measures for others like her.”