BIG RALLY OF YOUTH IN KOLKATA CALLS FOR PRO-EMPLOYMENT INDUSTRIAL GROWTH

MAMATA BANERJEE TOO WANTS INDUSTRIALISATION – BUT IN MODI-RULED GUJARAT !!! (GRAFFITI ON POSTERS SEEN AT THE YOUTH RALLY)

Thousands of young men and women congregated at the Esplanade area now called the metro channel (because of the proximity to the Kol-Metro central station) during the afternoon hours of 18 October. They had but two slogans on the raise: industrialisation for employment, and industrialisation for the unemployed youth! Hundreds of effigies of those who stood against industrialisation of Bengal and against the Singur project in particular, were put to the flame.

There was anger. There was no frustration. There was rage. There was no sadness of afterthought. There was hope. There was no melancholy in evidence. There was the vigour of youth organised under the Red banner. There was no indiscipline that was later to become the hall mark of the Trinamulis’ attempted assault on the HQ of the Kolkata Police at Lal Bazar (effectively contained by the police without there being any actual clashes or even show of arms. There was the iron logic of development and looking to the toiling masses.

Then, there was elsewhere in the city rioting of the Trinamuli goondas like the sad unpleasant incident near Charu Market in Tollygunj. Trinamuli mastans and goondas had run riot there, burning a dozen odd vehicles, attacking the police, putting to flame eight Police jeeps and vans, ransacking shops – and all in the name of didi for hers is the ‘word’ to follow on ‘return of land to farmers.’

Why choose Charu Market? The more important question is perhaps why they do not dare prefer Singur now-a-days for these so-called protestations. The answer assumes frightening dimensions for the hirelings of the Trinamulis. The entirety of Singur – irrespective which political affiliation the people indulge in – have risen up against the great betrayal of the Trinamuli chieftain and her hirelings (some indigenous, others hardly so, some native to Singur, others not quite that), and vast and angry processions are taken out every day, mornings and evenings, with the slogans: ‘revive the Singur factory, and down with the Trinamuli viswasghaat.’

Dare she now flaunt her pro-kisan image at Singur? More to the point, would she be able to go even near Singur in the near future? In the meanwhile, the youth rally is followed by rallies and marches by the toiling masses elsewhere in Bengal, and while not all the programmes are centred on Singur, industrialisation with a pro-people outlook is the theme of these people’s actions orchestrated by the Bengal CPI (M) and the Left mass organisations.

B PRASANT

CPI(M) questions governor’s role in Singur accord

Kolkata, Oct 23 (IANS) : Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) West Bengal secretary Biman Basu Thursday questioned whether a governor could be a party to an accord between the state government and the opposition to resolve a dispute.

''I often hear that the agreement between the state government and the opposition Trinamool Congress was signed in the presence of Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi. Firstly, I want to clarify that no agreement was signed over the Singur dispute. It was just a declaration letter which was released in the presence of the governor, not an agreement,” Basu told a press conference here.

“No governor can participate in any accord between the government and the opposition unless he or she is authorised by the government of India to intervene in any issue, as far as the Indian constitution is concerned.”

Last month, Gandhi had invited the Left Front government and the opposition to resolve through dialogue the vexed issue of land acquisition for Tata Motors’ car plant in Singur, about 40 km from here, after the firm suspended work on the project.

Several meetings were held at the governor’s residence and an accord was reached Sep 7.

The auto major finally shifted the project to Gujarat following continuous protests by Trinamool-backed farmers demanding return of a portion of land acquired for the project.

Land at Singur cannot be returned to farmers: CPI(M)

23 October, 2008 12:49:27

The CPI(M), the leader of West Bengal's ruling Left Front, on Thursday said there was no law under which the land acquired for the Tata Motors' car project could be returned to farmers as demanded by opposition Trinamool Congress. "Her (Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee's) demand is unrealistic and not supported by any provision of law," CPI(M) state secretary Biman Basu told a press conference in Kolkata.

"Where is the law under which acquired land can be returned? She should have raised the issue in Lok Sabha instead of making the demand outside parliament. The Land Acquisition Act, 1894, has no provision for return of land," he said. The Left Front government has already announced that other industries would be set up at the land meant for the Tatas project after the withdrawal of the industrial house from the small car project at Singur.

Basu also questioned Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi's attempt to broker a solution at Singur."How can a Governor be involved in an agreement unless the Centre authorises him to do so?" Basu said referring to the agreement reached at Raj Bhavan between West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and Trinamool Congress on Septemeber 7. "In fact, no agreement was signed at Raj Bhavan on the Singur issue. It was only a declaration," Basu who is the Left Front chairman, said.

The Trinamool Congress chief, however, stuck to her demand that the land acquired at Singur for the Tata Motors plant could be used for setting up new industrial units only after unwilling landowners got back their 400 acre out of the 1000 acquired by the state government for the project.

UPA govt. discriminating against Left-ruled states: CPI

New Delhi, Oct 23 (PTI) :The CPI today accused the Congress-led UPA at the Centre of discriminating against Left-ruled states, saying the governments of Kerala and West Bengal were "paying the price" for withdrawal of support."The Left-led state governments in the two states are paying the price for our withdrawing support at the Centre," CPI leader Gurudas Dasgupta told reporters here.

He said despite the long-pending demand of restoration of the rice quota to "food deficit" Kerala, no step has been taken by the Centre as yet.The UPA government has slashed the rice quota of Kerala by as much as 82 per cent, he said.

On West Bengal, Dasgupta said five dredgers meant for desilting of the waterways at the Haldia Port were withdrawn and taken to work for the Sethusamudram Project."While we are not opposed to the Sethusamudram Project and want it to be developed, we are demanding the return of these five dredgers so that they could prevent the waterways (from) becoming totally unnavigable," he said.
PTI

"Our state most peaceful in the country.'': Buddhadeb

Kolkata, October 22: West Bengal is the most peaceful state in the country, still the state police need to be more people-friendly. This was Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee’s advice to the force at the ‘Investiture Ceremony of Bengal Police 2008’ at the Science City Auditorium in Kolkata on Wednesday.

Taking a dig at the recent occurences in Maharashtra, Bhattacharjee said: “Observe other states. In one state, people from other states are considered unwanted and cannot go there for jobs. This is unthinkable in Bengal.”

He also highlighted communal clashes breaking out in different parts of the country. “People are fighting over religion in other states. West Bengal is safe and peaceful,” he said. Bhattacharjee, however, said there is no cause for complacency because terrorism, especially ultra-Left terrorism, is posing a real threat to the state.

He exhorted policemen to act as a friend of the people. “The police, from the level of superintendent of police to the officers of a police station, must gain confidence of the people. No discrimination should be made between the rich and the poor while addressing their complaints,” he said.

The chief minister also said: “The government is trying to increase the number of police housing estates and police hospitals. We will provide treatment to all injured policemen on duty.” Bhattacharjee conferred four Sourya Padak, seven Nistha Padak, 42 Prasansha Padak and 57 Sewa Padaks to the policemen. Three Sourya Padak awards were given posthumously. Police medal for meritorious service and President’s police medal for distinguished services were also awarded.

Biman Basu warns people of ‘unholy’ opposition

Kolkata, October 22: CPI(M) state secretary and Left Front chairman Biman Basu said on Wednesday “unholy” powers are trying to destabilise West Bengal.

Referring to Trinamool Congress agitation in Cooch Behar, Maoist blast in West Midnapore and Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) agitation in Darjeeling, Basu asked people to fight unitedly against such powers.

“Unholy opposition forces are creating a dangerous situation in the state. Trinamool Congress in Cooch Behar, Maoists in West Midnapore and GJM in Darjeeling — all of them are trying to create anarchy in the state. There are attacks, intimidations and murders. The democratic environment in the state is being destroyed by their acts,” Basu said.

“We have asked supporters of Left Front in Darjeeling to maintain calm and peace,” he added.
Referring to Maoist blasts in West Midnapore, he said: “The Naxals are attacking doctors and nurses in medical camp meant for the poor. People should understand their motives.”

Maoists grafted landmine kills 3 of a medical team

Midnapore,22 October,2008: Three people were killed in multiple landmines triggered by suspected Maoists in West Midnapore district of West Bengal. Maoists are suspected to be involved according to Inspector General of Police (Law and Order), Raj Kanojia. The blast occurred at 2:30 pm on Wednesday afternoon at Belpahari when a medical van was targeted.

The doctor in-charge of the Belpahari primary health centre, Dhaniram Mandi and a nurse, Bharati Majhi were driving to a primary health centre at Chawkisole village under the Belpahari police station, near the Jharkhand border when the landmines exploded, Home Secretary Asok Mohan Chakraborty told reporters. The doctor and nurse were returning from an anti-polio drive when their van hit a landmine. The van was making its way back from that pulse polio workshop. All three were killed in the blast and the vehicle was detroyed.

PTI reports that according to a report from the district, villagers said they had informed the police in the morning that the wires were lying on the road and that landmines could have been planted, but no action was taken. District police are investigating the case. Senior police officials were at the spot. Police also add that they suspect more attacks by naxals.