The Mamata Banerjee government on Thursday handed over engagement letters to over 1,500 people from across the state, including former militants of the Kamtapur Liberation Organisation and family members of people killed

in KLO attacks in north Bengal.

At a programme organised at the Netaji Indoor Stadium in Calcutta, chief minister Mamata Banerjee launched the distribution of engagement letters among these who would be provided with jobs as special home guards.

“We have earlier provided jobs and today again, jobs were provided to some more people……now that you have returned to the mainstream, we want you to deliver your responsibility and lead a better life with your families,” Mamata said while addressing the audience.

She asked them to be vigilant and take initiatives to discourage any attempt made to foment tension.

Sources in the state government said around 600 former militants and linkmen and around 36 victims’ families had been provided with jobs.

From Alipurduar, a group of 227 people were present at the programme.

Dipankar Roy, a former KLO linkman who received his engagement letter, said: “It was a longstanding demand that the chief minister finally met. We are grateful to her as we can lead a better life now. Many of us were finding it tough to run our families.”

Ruma Debnath Adhikary, a resident of ward 18 of Alipurduar, also sounded happy. Back in 2009, she had lost her father-in-law in a bomb blast at Chowpathi, the most prominent crossing of Alipurduar.

“What the chief minister did for us is remarkable. It would be of immense help for us,” said Ruma.

The induction of former KLO members, linkmen and victims’ families as home guards would help the Trinamul Congress consolidate its base in north Bengal, said political observers.

“These people have been asking for jobs since those days when the Left Front was in power. However, it is Mamata Banerjee who met the demand. It would surely help her party earn some extra edge over its political contenders,” an observer said.