West Bengal will assert its rights: Mamata Banerjee

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today alleged that the UPA government was bent on depriving central assistance to the state, which would assert its rights.

"The Centre wants that we die of hunger. But as long we are in power in the state, we will not let that happen. We may be poor, but not beggars," Banerjee told a rally here in Purulia district.

"We know how to get back our rights," she said, but did not elaborate.

Whether central help was available or not, her government would assist farmers with tractors and agriculture inputs and also electricity for irrigation since diesel was hardly affordable after the hike in its price, the chief minister said.

"We will build our own resources to sustain our agriculture," she said.

Her government could achieve many things in the last one and a half years despite severe fund constraints, she claimed.

"I challenge the opposition to charge me with defamation if I have given any false promise to the people," the firebrand leader said.

Banerjee also attacked a section of the media and urged the people not to give credence to canards against the government.

Among other things, a lac research centre, a multi-super speciality hospital, 12 model schools and an ITI would be established in the backward district, she said.

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