‘No problem if someone else leads,’ says Mamata Banerjee on being face of Opposition
New Delhi, Jul 28: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday remained ambivalent on being the face of the Opposition to take on the BJP, saying it will depend on the situation.
"I want to help all the opposition parties to bell the cat. I don't want to be a leader, but a simple cadre," she said on the leadership issue.
"I am not a political astrologer. It depends on the situation, structure. I have no problem if someone else leads. When the matter is discussed we can decide. I cannot impose," Banerjee told a select group of reporters here when asked if she would be the face of the Opposition.
On the Pegasus row, she said the situation was more serious than Emergency and accused the Centre of being unresponsive.
"Everywhere they are sending ED, IT for raids. Here there is no response. In a democracy, the government has to respond.
"The situation is very serious, it's more serious than the emergency," the Trinamool Congress chief said.
On Tuesday, Banerjee had said the unity of opposition parties will take shape on its own.
"I am a simple worker and want to continue as a worker," Banerjee, who is in the national capital for the first time after her party's resounding victory in the assembly polls, said on Wednesday.
"I want to see sachcha din, bahut din acha di dekh liya," Banerjee added, in a jibe at the BJP's poll slogan.
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Bihar: Over 150 children fall ill after consuming 'mid-day meal' in Saharsa
Saharsa (PTI): More than 150 children were taken ill after allegedly consuming food that was part of the mid-day meal in a school in Bihar’s Saharsa district, a senior official said on Thursday.
The incident occurred at a middle school in Baluaha village of the district.
The official said that 115 children were undergoing treatment at the Sadar Hospital, while around 50 students were admitted to Mahishi Public Health Centre.
“We received information that several children fell ill after consuming the mid-day meal in Baluaha. The children were initially treated at the primary health centre, but later, many were referred to the Sadar Hospital,” Saharsa District Magistrate Deepesh Kumar told reporters.
“According to doctors, the health condition of the children has improved, but they will be kept under observation for some time. There is no need to panic. Some kids are having mild fever. They are being treated accordingly,” Kumar said.
Meanwhile, family members of some children claimed that a snake was found in the container in which cooked pulses was stored at the school.
Of the 545 students present in the school, 200 had already eaten their meals by the time the snake was spotted, and later complained of stomach ache and vomiting, they said.
Regarding the claims, the DM said food samples have been collected from the school.
“We will be able to comment on this only after the results of the tested samples arrive,” he said.
