Kolkata: West Bengal CM and Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee on Monday announced rs 1,000 monthly financial assistance and free accommodation for more than 8,000 Hindu priests in the state. The announcement was made ahead of the assembly elections in the state which are expected to be held in April-May next year.

The opposition often accuses Banerjee of "appeasement of minorities". Considering the Hindi speaking and tribal voters of the state, Banerjee also said that her government has decided to set up a Hindi academy and a Dalit Sahitya Akademi. He declared this as the day of Hindi Day, which is celebrated every year in remembrance of the adoption of Hindi as the official language of the country.

Opposition parties have described the announcements as "electoral gimmicks". "We had earlier given land to the Sanatan Brahmin sect to set up an academy at Kolaghat. Many priests of this sect are economically backward. We have decided to provide them an allowance of Rs 1,000 per month and help them by providing them free housing under the state government's housing scheme," he said.

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