Arijit Singh wants to build medical college, will provide all help: Mamata Banerjee

KOLKATA: Weeks after a controversy over singer-composer Arijit Singh's concert cancellation here, Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday said the musician, who has moved a proposal for building a medical college in Murshidabad, will be provided all possible support.

Describing him as a very "down to earth human being", Banerjee also said that her government is always willing to back noble causes. Last month, Singh's concert got cancelled here amid preparations for G20 meeting, with the BJP claiming that he has earned the wrath of the TMC dispensation by singing 'Gerua' (saffron) from 'Dilwale' at the annual film festival in the city. Saffron is a colour often associated with the BJP and other right-wing organisations.

"Arijit, a son of Murshidabad soil, is an amazing singer. He has made us proud. Singh has expressed his wish to build a medical college in Jangipur. "Today, as I stand here, I can say this that you (Arijit Singh) build it and I will provide all possible help. Arijit is a down-to-earth person. He has no pride and that is his biggest virtue," she said.

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Later in the day, on her return to Kolkata, Banerjee, who is also the health minister, inaugurated a few projects at the IPGMER-SSKM Hospital, including a seminar hall for the radiotherapy department and a 10-bed ICU at a head neck surgery department.

At the programme, she proposed that medical students of the hospital be sent to rural areas of the state, thus giving them a "good exposure" of the scenario there. "Send teams of junior doctors to rural areas in rotation. This will give them good exposure and also provide a chance to learn about treating patients. They will get perks for this," Banerjee said.