West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday questioned the frequent 'mysterious deaths' of migrant workers from the state. Banerjee raised the question while speaking on the death of five workers killed in the stone quarry collapse in Mizoram earlier this week, IANS reported.
Addressing the media, Mamata Banerjee said, "Majority of the migrant workers killed in different accidents in the recent past were from West Bengal. Just compare the statistics from the last few months."
"Probably migrant workers from other states have also died elsewhere. But the number of deaths is maximum for those going from West Bengal. Take the examples of Mizoram, Kashmir and Manipur. I do not know what is happening," IANS quoted Banerjee as saying.
Five of the 12 workers killed in the Mizoram stone quarry collapse were from West Bengal. Of the five, four were from Nadia district and one was from North 24 Parganas district.
The Chief Minister assured financial assistance to the families of the victims as ex gratia. She also promised a state government job to one member from each of the five families.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also announced an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh to the next of kin of each of those who lost their lives in the stone quarry collapse.
Although, her comments on the high rate of the deaths of migrant workers being from West Bengal has sparked a controversy in the political scenario of the nation.
Mamata's remarks come after Opposition parties in the state have repeatedly alleged that the "faulty" policies of the state were the main reason for the large number of migrant workers from West Bengal going to other states to earn their livelihoods.
The opposition parties -- BJP, Left, Congress -- have claimed that since the state government policies were not conducive for industrial development and employment generation, the workers from the state were forced to migrate.