Centre 'deactivating' Aadhaar cards to stop people from getting social benefits: Mamata Banerjee
Suri (WB), Feb 18: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday alleged that the BJP-led central government "deactivated" Aadhaar card of people in the state before the upcoming Lok Sabha elections so that they do not get the benefits of various social welfare schemes of her government through their bank accounts.
Speaking at a public distribution programme here in Birbhum district, Banerjee said that her government would continue paying the beneficiaries of the various state-run welfare schemes even if a person does not have an Aadhaar card.
"Be aware, they (BJP-led Centre) are deactivating Aadhaar cards. Several Aadhar cards have been deactivated in many districts of Bengal. They (BJP-led Centre) are delinking Aadhaar cards so that before polls people do not get benefits of Lakshmi Bhandar through banks, free ration," Banerjee said.
"But we will continue paying the beneficiaries of the schemes even if they have no Aadhaar card. Not a single beneficiary will be affected," she said.
Referring to the agitation of the farmers in Haryana, Punjab demanding the government's guarantee on minimum support price of their produce, Banerjee said that farmers in Bengal do not face any problem.
"I salute farmers' protest. I condemn the attacks on them," the West Bengal CM said.
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12-year-old boy sexually assaulted by two classmates, class 10 student in Faridabad
Faridabad (PTI): A student of class 8 here was allegedly sexually assaulted for several days by two of his classmates and a student of class 10, police said on Saturday.
Based on a complaint of the victim's father, police have registered a case against the three juveniles under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act at Saran Police Station.
According to police, the 12-year-old boy, studying in a government school, was leaving the premises to go home when he was lured by two of his classmates and another student of class 10 to the school bathroom, where they sexually assaulted him.
Following this, the accused students allegedly assaulted him for several days.
The boy's father noticed changes in his son's behaviour and asked him about it. He narrated his ordeal to the father who then approached the police.
Two of the accused students live in the same village as the victim, police said.
A senior police officer said, "We have initiated the necessary legal procedures. Counselling is being provided to the victim, and the entire matter is being investigated seriously. Further action will be taken based on the investigation."
