Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday extended the lockdown like restriction in the state till July 1 albeit with few relaxations.
“All government offices will function with 25 percent strength. Private offices can remain open from 10am to 4pm but with only 25 percent strength,” stated the West Bengal Chief Minister.
Adding more relaxations due to the declining covid rate in West Bengal, state Chief Secretary HK Dwivedi stated that restaurants with bars will be open between 12 - 8pm with 50 percent seating capacity.
“All markets remain open between 7am and 11am. Parks can stay open between 6-9amfor morning walkers. However, only those who have taken both the jabs of the vaccine will be allowed entry. Movement of people will be restricted between 9pm to 5am. Intra-state and autos and taxis will remain closed till further notice,” stated HK Dwivedi also adding that cinema halls, salons, gyms will be kept closed.
Meanwhile, reacting to BJP’s claim that North Bengal should be made a separate state, Banerjee said that the BJP led central government is playing with sentiments of Bengalis and also that she will never allow fragmentation of West Bengal.
“How can North Bengal and South Bengal be divided? States within a state are not possible and the BJP is against the Bengali sentiment,” claimed the TMC Supremo.
However, Manoj Tigga, BJP West Bengal legislature of Madarihat constituency in North Bengal said that he wasn’t aware of any such development where BJP MLAs of North Bengal have sent a letter to BJP led central government for making North Bengal a separate state.
Terming it as a hoax, West Bengal BJP general secretary Sayantan Basu said that BJP was never in favor of making separate Gorkhaland and also that the saffron camp will never indulge in ‘fragmenting West Bengal’.
