Around 100 former members of the Kamtapur Liberation Organisation (KLO) and their linkmen from Jalpaiguri and Cooch Behar districts organised a march on Monday to press for a separate state and jobs for them.
The rally began from the PWD More area in Jalpaiguri and proceeded to the district magistrate’s office, where the processionists submitted a memorandum addressed to chief minister Mamata Banerjee.
The memorandum reiterated demands for the formation of a separate Kamtapur state and government jobs for former KLO members and linkmen.
Former KLO member Jyotsna Roy told journalists that the monthly allowance given by the state government for unemployed youths would be spent on alcohol
consumption.
A few days ago, a Trinamool Congress leader from Mainaguri had drawn criticism for allegedly describing the ₹1,500 monthly assistance under the Yuva Sathi scheme as money for “pan and gutka” expenses.
“The Trinamool government is trying to buy votes by giving ₹1,500 per month to homemakers. Now it plans to give a similar amount per month to the unemployed youth. This money will only be spent on alcohol. What more can it achieve?” Jyotsna said.
She said although the government had earlier promised jobs to former KLO members and linkmen for their rehabilitation, only around 400 individuals across north Bengal had been employed as special home guards so far.
“More than 4,000 educated former KLO members and linkmen in the region are unemployed and still awaiting jobs. Standing in queues for allowances will not sustain families. The chief minister should provide jobs to them with salaries of at least ₹15,000 per month,” Jyotsna added.
Khageswar Roy, Trinamool’s chairman in Jalpaiguri district, condemned the criticism.
“A government welfare scheme should not be described in such terms. Earlier, many people were critical of the Lakshmir Bhandar scheme, but they eventually got their family members enrolled to avail of the benefit,” said Roy.
“If women, girls and unemployed youths are taking advantage of these schemes, it is because they find them beneficial,” Roy, who is also an MLA, added.
