Assuring all assistance to people crossing over to West Bengal to escape violence in Assam, state Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today said several relief camps were set up at Alipurduar in north Bengal and promised to establish several more.
Without giving the number of people who fled to West Bengal after the NDFB(S) carried out mayhem in lower Assam districts, Mamata said that more than half of those fleeing to the state were Adivasis.
"There is also one camp for the bodos (refugees) who have come. All have been sheltered in the camps. At this moment our priority is to help them."
She said that whatever help was required, the government would give.
"There is no need for many to raise money in large-scale by coming forward. Whatever help is needed we will give. But there are some items which have to be bought readymade - baby food, dry food. Whatever items are possible we (the state government) are buying."
Mamata said that she herself bought 1,000 sweaters "with my own money" for distribution among the affected on behalf of the Trinamool Congress.
Also blankets, chaddar, clothes, sweaters and food stuff were being provided by the state government.
She said if philanthropic organisations intended to provide relief materials, not money, to the affected, they could hand them over to the Police Commissioner, Siliguri.
Expressing shock at the violence, she said, "I will personally visit two relief camps tomorrow and talk to the inmates. Militants have no class, creed or religion."
"In times of crisis without doing politics I think one should stand beside the violence-affected persons for the sake of humanity," she said.
