WBHRC report indicts TMC government, police in Presidency University attack case

By Indrajit Kundu  

India Today, Kolkata, October 22, 2013 | UPDATED 22:26 IST

KOLKATA: The West Bengal Human Rights Commission (WBHRC) on Tuesday finally came out with its observations on the April 2013 attack on Kolkata's prestigious Presidency University. 

In a scathing indictment of the Mamata Banerjee govt, the report blames 'police inaction' for the incident. The report clearly states that the ruling Trinamool Congress students wing TMCP was squarely responsible for the incident and that there was 'no provocation that came from within the University'. It also states that the police inaction was deliberate, as those on rampage belonged to the student wing of the ruling party.

WBHRC in its recommendations has asked the state govt should 'formulate suitable guidelines for dealing with cases of unlawful activities by the students in educational institutions'. In a scathing indictment, the report states that the police's 'failure to discharge duty' had resulted in serious erosion of values and vitiated the atmosphere in many educational institutions of the State.

The WBHRC had taken suo-moto cognizance of the incident that had shocked the entire students' fraternity in the state. The commission had formed a one-member committee headed by former Presidency principal Prof Amal Mukherjee. In his report, Mukherjee had claimed that the attack had a clear 'political motive', that it was done by 'outsiders' having specific political affiliations, that SFI was the main target of the attack, and that it was in 'retaliation to the attack on Bengal CM in Delhi the previous evening.'

OBSERVATIONS:

The Commisison finds that on 10.04.2013 the said University was peacefully conducting its teaching. The classes were also going on peacefully.  Around 1 O'clock a group of outsiders carrying TMCP flags and shouting slogans assembled at the main gate of university which was kept locked that time. 

Thereafter, the Registrar came out of the Vice Chancellor's room to receive a call on his cell phone when he heard a tremendous hue and cry coming from the gate and he rushed to the gate to find that the processionists had broken open the gate and entered the University campus. 

This version of the Registrar has virtually been corroborated by the Commissioner of Police and also by the Sub Inspector of Police, Sadhu Ch. Singha who was on the spot.  Sadhu Ch. Singha deposed that two of the processionists were trying to scale the university gate and were trying to tie the TMCP flags on the gate.

His findings are that at the time of the alleged incident, the situation in the University was peaceful and no provocation came from the University. These two findings tallied with the version of the police.

Mukhopadhyay gave details of the slogans which were raised by the processionists and from which it appears that they were angry with the SFI supporters in view of some incidents which happened in Delhi in which the Hon'ble Chief Minister of West Bengal was allegedly obstructed.

Professor Mukhopadhyay also held in the course of enquiry that one Shri Partha Bose, a Corporation Councilor of TMC was found standing with the unruly processionists who wanted to break open the University gate.

From the video footage shown to Professor Mukhopadhyay and the statement of Constable Sanjit, he came to hold that no brickbat was thrown from inside the University.

The human rights of the students certainly include the right to continue their studies in a peaceful atmosphere and the University authorities are also entitled to run the institution without being disrupted by such acts of hooliganism leading to destruction of their properties and leading to a total anarchy in the campus which posed a serious threat to the life and limbs of its students, teachers and members of the non-teaching staff.

Police was informed before the incident, in the course of the incident and police was present throughout the incident when the processionists went berserk in the University campus destroying properties, shouting slogans, assaulting students, chasing girl students at will for about an hour. Strangely enough no arrest was made even though the local Police Station was at a distance of less than one kilometer.

All these offences were committed with impunity by the intruders and the police was inactive. Any ordinary man of normal prudence will think that the police was inactive only because the processionists were carrying flags of TMCP which is the students' wing of the party in power.

In our opinion a major clash did not take place as the students of the University did not retaliate and were effectively controlled by their teachers. They were at the receiving end throughout the incident.

We do not think that for non-escalation of the situation, the Officer-in-Charge, Jorasakho Police Station deserves any credit. He miserably failed to discharge his duties possibly because he found that the rampaging students belong to the TMCP, the students wing of the party in power.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

The State Government should formulate suitable guidelines for dealing with the cases of unlawful activities by the students in educational institutions.

Even though law is clear, such guidelines are required to be made as police often fail to discharge their duties according to law to tackle unlawful activities by students in educational institutions.

This has resulted in serious erosion of values and vitiated the atmosphere in many educational institutions of the State. Instances of lawlessness by students are on the increase and these things must be curbed not only to protect the human rights of innocent students and helpless teachers but also to maintain the purity and sanctity of these institutions.

It must be remembered that the existing infrastructures in our educational institutions are inadequate and we can ill afford to deplete them further.

Education is the most cardinal factor in social development and without education all other rights are like writs in water. Those guidelines be framed by the State Government within two months from the date of communication of the order.

In so far as the inaction of the Officer-in-Charge of Jorasanko Police Station is concerned, the Commission refrains from making any recommendation as he has already been reprimanded by the higher authorities.

The State Government is requested to inform this Commission about the action taken on the basis of the recommendation as stated in (a) above within a period of two months from the date of communication.

Read more at: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/wbhrc-report-indicts-tmc-government-police-in-presidency-university-attack-case/1/319654.html

Writers’ Buildings temporarily dethroned as West Bengal’s seat of power

The State Secretariat will move to Howrah while renovation work is carried out at Writers’

For the first time in its history, the buzz of power that reverberates in the corridors of Writers’ Buildings, the West Bengal Secretariat, will fall silent as much of the Secretariat, including the Chief Minister’s office, will move to a new address on the other side of river Hooghly on Saturday.

Though the shift is temporary, the Trinamool Congress’s decision to relocate as many as 11 of its departments out of the historic building in the heart of the city has generated much curiosity.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had announced on August 7 that the relocation would take place as the historic structure, which she said had turned into a “tinderbox,” needed to be renovated and restored.

On Saturday, thousands of State government employees along with the Ministers will shift to the Howrah River Bridge Commissioners (HRBC) Building, a 14-storied high-rise on the banks of the Ganga in the Howrah district.

The entire process of restructuring the HRBC Building, christened ‘Nabanna’ (new crop of paddy), and that of renovating and restoring Writers’, which was constructed in the early 18 century, is estimated to cost the State Exchequer about Rs. 200 crore.

The HRBC Building, which was conceived and set up during the tenure of the previous Left Front government, was to have housed a garment park; now instead it will be the new seat of power of the State government.

A glance at the history of both pre and post- Independent era shows that Writers’ was in private hands till the East India Company bought it in 1854. It has since been one of the most important pieces of architecture in the city and a major landmark.

Historian P.T. Nair said the reddish, customised emulsion that forms Buildings’s exterior was used to bind the red bricks during its construction. That gave the structure, both Gothic and Regal, its trademark red colour.

Like many State employees used to working there, who rue their new address mainly because of infrastructure bottlenecks and lack of facilities such as drinking water, Mr. Nair is also unable to reconcile to the decision to shift the State Secretariat to Howrah.

One consolation could be the State government’s assurance that all statutory bodies concerned will be consulted during the process of restoration and renovation work.

The Department of Architecture at two prominent institutions — Jadavpur University and Bengal Engineering and Science University — have been given the task of preparing a detailed report on the structure’s restoration.

Writers’ Buildings temporarily dethroned as West Bengal’s seat of power - The Hindu

West Bengal govt has 64 secret files on Subhas Chandra Bose: Family

KOLKATA: Family of Subhas Chandra Bose on Monday claimed that the West Bengal government held 64 secret files related to Netaji and that chief minister Mamata Banerjee had not responded to letters about them.

"They have 64 files pertaining to him. If they are made public, we will get a lot of information on him. We demand that these files should be declassified immediately," family spokesperson Chandra Kumar Bose told reporters.

"We had once written a letter to her (Mamata) but she didn't even reply. We want an appointment with her, but she doesn't even respond," family member Madhuri Bose said on the 70th foundation day of the provisional government of Azad Hind.

"If the state government isn't releasing files on Netaji, how can we ask the Central government to release files? It is the responsibility of both the governments to reveal all the records," said researcher Anuj Dhar, who has written three books on the life of Netaji.

In an earlier disclosure under the RTI appeal made by 'Mission Netaji', a Delhi-based research trust, the Prime Minister's Office had admitted that it was holding 33 secret files concerning Netaji.

The leader had escaped from house arrest by the British in 1941 to seek international support for India's freedom struggle. After organising the Indian National Army with Japanese help he went missing in 1945, giving birth to India's most debated mystery.

He was last seen at the Bangkok airport on August 17, 1945.

The Mukherjee commission formed by the Centre had rejected that Netaji had died in a plane crash in Taiwan on August 18, 1945.

West Bengal govt has 64 secret files on Subhas Chandra Bose: Family - Times Of India

PM's help sought on Saradha solatium

TNN Oct 8, 2013, 04.12AM IST

NEW DELHI: CPM leaders Sitaram Yechury and Surjya Kanta Mishra have written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh seeking his intervention so that payment is made to victims of Saradha scam who lost their deposits. They have also demanded Supreme Court-monitored CBI probe into the scam.

Left leaders have suggested that prompt payment be made promptly by attaching the properties of Saradha Group in accordance with law and order as also directed by the Securities and Exchange Board of India ( Sebi) in April. They pointed out the solution is not giving grant through the Commission as is being done by the state government. "This process should start immediately with focus on attachment and disposal of properties, along with punishment for the offending group," the duo wrote to PM. Yechury and Mishra also met corporate affairs minister Sachin Pilot on Monday.

Talking to journalists, Yechury said, "The loss of time in attaching their properties is permitting these companies to clandestinely transfer their assets. We feel there is a complicity of the state government in blocking investigations and not attaching the properties." He said investors' money should be refunded through an auction of the assets of these companies. "To dole out some money out of its coffers to some of the lakhs of small investors who have invested their life's savings, is illegal," he added.

Yechury pointed out that the total fraud by the chit fund companies amounts to Rs 1 lakh crore out of which Rs 30,000 crore is by Saradha alone. "State government has created a fund of Rs 500 crore to pay investors. But it is less than 1% of the total value of scam," he said.

The letter to the PM also said that in the light of allegations made by one sitting Rajya Sabha member of Trinamool Congress against a senior party leader of having financial relations with Saradha Group, there is a need for immediate CBI inquiry. Yechury asked, "Why is he just threatening? He should give out the names. He should also cooperate with the SFIO (Serious Fraud Investigation Office) probe. He should have the courage to do that."

As to what action the erstwhile Left Front government had taken against such frauds, Mishra said it had not only attached the properties of such firms and compensated the victims, but also moved a PIL in the Calcutta high court. "After that, we also got a unanimous resolution adopted in the state Assembly. Even if the relevant legislation of the state government is pending, why are they not going by the high court verdict and attaching the properties of these fraudulent companies?" Mishra asked.

PM's help sought on Saradha solatium

Mamata woos duped Saradha investors with money, feast

KOLKATA: Hilsa head and shrimp with vegetables, rohu kalia, potato stir fry, raj bhog (big size sponje rosogollas). No, this is not a lip-smacking menu of any famed Bengali food joint, but part of the repast laid out by the Mamata Banerjee government for those who lost their money when the chit fund aided Saradha Group downed shutters earlier this year.

The venue: Kshudiram Anushilan Kendra. 

The occasion: distribution of cheques by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to 929 investors who have been duped after parking their money in the ponzi schemes of the scam-tainted Saradha Group.

It was Banerjee's way of tackling any fallout of the scam, which came as the biggest challenge for her regime as it was perceived to be close to the Saradha boss Sudipta Sen.

Banerjee, who had earlier promised to compensate the depositors - mostly poor people in villages and small towns - decided to celebrate the occasion by organising the grand feast.

With the scandal having broken out shortly before the statewide rural polls, she had earlier formed a commission to probe the scam and recommend ways to return the money to the depositors and also announced a Rs.500 crore fund for the purpose.

Her steps at damage control seemed to have paid off, and the Trinamool came up with an impressive show in the July panchayat elections.

The well-publicised and lavishly organised programme inclusive of the sumptuous food is being regarded by observers as a continuation of her efforts to give a message to the duped investors that the government was by their side.

The beneficiaries of the day had deposited up to Rs.10,000 in the schemes, till the company went bust and closed shop across the state unable to repay the investors who had been lured by the promise of high returns.

Lakhs of people, mainly poor people in villages and small towns, have been affected by the Saradha scam. There has been a spate of suicides by investors and agents.

The government machinery kept no stone unturned to showcase the occasion and ensure its success.

Twenty cooks were engaged to prepare the food, while the beneficiaries were brought from all over the state at government cost.

"We were taken in a government vehicle to the local police station. There were were provided a good tiffin and given the bus fare. We took a bus and came to the venue in Kolka"a," said a beneficiary from Darjeeling district.

Official sources said the concerned district administrations were made responsible for bringing the beneficiaries for the programme and taking them back home.

From breakfast to lunch, evening tiffin and dinner and night stay - all arrangements were made.

The Murshidabad district administration, for instance, had sent vehicles to the Samserganj home of beneficiary Motiur Rahman."

"We spent a night at a panchayat training centre on the way. We were given a grand dinner there - rice, dal (lentils), fish curry, mixed vegetable, potato fry, chutney, papad and swe"ts," said Rahman.

Arrangements for around 3,000 people (including support staff) were made at the Kshudiram Anushilan Kendra, as the government spent lakhs of rupees to ensure the scam did not make any impact on the ruling p'rty's vote bank in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.

A depositor seemed amaz"d. "I got back a part of the amount I had invested with the Saradha Group. But the money spent on the lavish arrangements could have been better utilised to give me back the entire am"unt".

The opposition Left Front lost no time in attacking the government for "he "money squand"red"."

"The government says it is deep in debt and has no money for development programmes. But at the same time it is squandering the tax p'yers' money to indemnify the investors who had been duped by the Saradha Group. What is worse is the lavish arrangements. They should have attached Sudipt' Sen's property and repaid the victims fro" it," said Leader of Opposition Surjya Kanta Mishra.

Undaunted, the government has anoounced it would indemnify 104,000 more depositors before the Durga Puja (beginning Oct 10). Two lakh more investors would get their money back after Diwali (Nov 2).

The government has set aside Rs.50 crore for indemnifying the depositors upto Diwali.

(Sirshendu Panth can be contacted at s.panth@ians.in)

Mamata woos duped Saradha investors with money, feast (West Bengal Newsletter) | Business Standard

Can Mamata still afford to call all this a political conspiracy?

KOLKATA: No garlands, no wreaths and his body covered with an old tattered sheet. This young man paid the price for his bravery was murdered in cold blood for standing up to goons who tried to molest his sisters in Burdwan District of West Bengal.

Victim's sister said, "At 3 in the morning, 4 men broke into our house and tried to molest me and my sisters. When my brother intervened, they shot him in the chest. When my parents raised a hue and cry, they ran away and we couldn't even recognise them." But his death is making no difference to the authorities in West Bengal.

Neighbour said, "The 2 sisters and their brother were sleeping in the same room. When they tried to molest the sisters, the brother opposed them. So they shot him in the chest."

Leave alone arresting his murderers, the West Bengal Police in the state are still scampering to identify them. Villager said, "We want stringent action to be taken. This is the third time women are being brutalised in this area. We demand action but we know that the guilty are being shielded."

A TV anchor publicly harassed, an actor's sister stalked, a state level swimmer targeted and now a brave heart shot dead for protecting his sisters from molesters. Can Mamata still afford to call all this a political conspiracy?

http://www.timesnow.tv/INDIA/Braveheart-shot-dead-in-West-Bengal/videoshow/4433755.cms

Ballot Papers Printed after Results To Manage Manipulations in Counting

Kolkata: THE ruling party along with the state's administration has turned the recent panchayat election into a farce in one third of the state. Now, with a motive to hide their gruesome manipulation at the time of counting, ballot papers are being printed in secret. On August 26, the leader of opposition, Surjya Kanta Mishra, made this serious allegation while addressing a press conference in the assembly. He had brought a motion in the assembly on the atrocious acts of violence at the time of the panchayat election that is still continuing. But the assembly speaker ruled it out. In protest, the Left Front staged a walk-out in the assembly but after a while they entered again to take part in the important discussion on the burning problem of the masses.

Later in the day while addressing a press conference Surjya Kanta Mishra said in connection with the panchayat election that the ruling party has continued with endless violence. They had indulged in fraud and malpractices at the time of counting also. The election commission has not been able to upload till date in the website information regarding details of votes in districts like Burdwan. It is because the ruling party has conspired with a section of the administration in tampering the counting process in the panchayat election. In counting centres, there were widespread tampering and forced manipulation of results. And now the account of ballots will not match with the results. This is the reason for which the election commission could not upload the result of Burdwan district. In all the districts the District Magistrate is the election official on behalf of election commission. The ruling party is continuously mounting pressure on them.

He said we have information that fresh ballot papers are being printed. This is to keep parity with the final result of the voting ballot papers are being stamped. We have news that somewhere near Durgapur, ballots are being printed afresh so that they can be stamped and their tampered result can be shown in accounts. If any case is registered in the court then they can hush up the matter. This is also something unusual that after counting re-elections are being held.

Mishra said in spite of all such deprivation and instances of vulgarism, Left Front has contested in 81 per cent of the seats. In one-fifth of the total seats, Left Front has not been allowed to contest. Apart from this, many Left Front candidates were not allowed to campaign even after filing nominations. They had to abandon their houses and live elsewhere. From the time of filing nomination to election campaign, the ruling party resorted to violent domination. On the day of the election, in some places there was partial capture of booths, while in some others, the booths were fully captured. The ruling party did not allow free and fair elections to be held in around 12,000 seats. In the assembly session the government refused to allow the discussion on panchayat elections as they are scared about the truth coming out.

CPI(M) CONDUCTS PRIMARY REVIEW

CPI(M) West Bengal State Committee in its meeting on August 22 while reviewing the results of the just concluded panchayat election, was of the view that wherever elections could be held combating the terrorisation and maintaining intimate relationship with the masses, results for the Left Front has been positive.

In a statement after the meeting, it was pointed out that the panchayat elections were held amid widespread violence in the rural areas. The ruling party and the state administration turned it into an undemocratic process right from filing of nomination to withdrawal, campaigning and counting. People’s verdict has not been properly reflected. Even after this the ruling party has continued with its path of violence, arson to capture the Boards. The Left Front and the Party activists and sympathisers have risked their lives and fought bravely to combat the attacks perpetrated throughout the election. Specially many new activists have faced the challenge valiantly.

It said that the review work is on but primarily it has been found that due to violence, candidates could not file their nominations in 5206 Gram Panchayat, 782 Panchayat Samity and in 8 Zila Parishad seats. Even after filing of nomination, candidates have been compelled to withdraw in 2176 seats. Barring one district, the ruling party totally captured 3834 booths and partially captured 2309 booths and has resorted to rigging ruthlessly. At the time of counting, leaving four districts, it has been found that in 1486 Gram Panchayat, 363 Panchayat Samity and 58 seats in Zila Parishad rigging has been practiced in the counting centres or results have been overturned and the seats have been captured by the TMC. In spite of all these, the percentage of votes captured by Left Front in 16 districts is 37.97 per cent. TMC has got 43.03 per cent. The Left Front got more than 40 per cent votes in 4 districts, 37-40 per cent votes in 6 districts.

The state committee also noted the rampant use of money power by the TMC in these elections. In the analysis of the results of the election, along with the political situation, the organisational weakness of the Party, weakness in maintaining mass contact, weakness in running panchayats has also been pointed out. More detailed analysis of the results will be done at every level of the Party.

The meeting was attended by Pparty’s general secretary Prakash Karat who called for continuing the struggle for maintaining democracy, combating the attacks of the ruling party and its government.

Karat explained the decisions taken in the just concluded central committee meeting. He said economic condition is deteriorating at a rapid and grave pace. Movement will be launched across the country on the issues of price rise, unemployment, food security, wage, land etc. Central gatherings will be held in the state capitals on alternative policy. It shall start with the Chennai rally. Emphasis shall be paid on country-wide campaign against communalism. In this context, a central convention will be organised in Delhi with other secular parties.

West Bengal has to go miles before industrialisation in reality can begin

By Sutanuka Ghosal & Atmadip Ray, ET Bureau Aug 11, 2013, 04.00AM IST

It had taken no less than half-a-dozen industry interfaces before the first glimmer of hope came in Mumbai on August 1. That hope, in the context of a severely battered Mamata Banerjee government, has a name: Mukesh Ambani. That is because the elder Ambani brother turned up at the World Trade Centre industry meet organised by the West Bengal government.

The younger Ambani sibling, Anil, did not turn up although Mamata had gone to Mumbai, reportedly armed with a project clearance certificate for the proposed Rs 600-crore cement plant of Anil Ambani in Purulia district's Raghunathpur.

Not many in Mumbai's super league turned up; but some 45-odd did, a few out of curiosity. "I went because I was curious to find out whether she is any different from what I see on television. Not that I plan an investment in Bengal soon," said one industrialist on condition of anonymity.

Despite some high-voltage post-event drumbeating in Trinamool Congress circles, the fact is that the jury is still out on what the claimed success of the August 1 meeting would translate to in reality. Would one meeting lead to thousands of crores of investments being pumped into an industry-starved Bengal?

Viewed differently, Mamata has reasons to cheer. Even if Bengal is incidental to Mukesh Ambani's countrywide 4G rollout, it will still shore up her rapidly eroding image should Bengal be part of the 4G networking as it certainly would.

Her publicity machinery would take care of the rest, and she would undoubtedly be touted as a chief minister who has been able to rope in the biggest corporate figure of all! If Anil Ambani comes in too, Mamata can justifiably claim success for having roped in India's largest business conglomerate.

However, let's be modest about it because the ground reality in Bengal shows that the state will have to go miles before industrialisation in reality can even begin to happen. Here is why.

LAND MATRIX

In Mumbai, Mamata indicated she would be able to provide land in a limited way from the state's land bank. However, that bank actually shows a kitty of some 10,000 acres, which unfortunately is largely made up of small, non-contiguous parcels of land that can hardly be home to big projects.

Besides, Mamata has made it very clear that her government will not act as a facilitator in procuring land. The industrialists would have to negotiate on their own with farmers for that purpose. That is hardly going to be a turnon because few would have the time or patience to negotiate with smalltime farmers for land.

INDUSTRIAL INFRASTRUCTURE

The government has initiated timebound steps to modernise infrastructure facilities and create new clusters and growth centres. Since infrastructure creation involves considerable investments, the state has decided on public-private participation.

However, the PPP model has not attracted any major investment so far. The government's reluctance about giving special economic zone status to any new project in the state is an additional turn-off.

PROJECTS IN LIMBO

A long list that includes Wipro, Infosys, JSW Steel, NTPC among others. It is not that all these projects are in the lurch because of Mamata. Still the fact is that industry-wise, new projects intended to come up and change Bengal's skyline aren't taking off for one reason or the other.

Then there are those that have remained in the ideas-stage only. A whopping 25 health projects announced in October 2011 have never come up. Darjeeling, instead of becoming Bengal's Switzerland, now threatens to go away to another state altogether if Gorkhaland becomes a success in future.

Kolkata is still not London and not one among the 56,000 sick units that Mamata had vouched to revive, have fared any better.

LITTLE INVESTIBLE SURPLUS

This is something that Mamata herself says. How can a state that has to pay a stupendous Rs 25,000 crore this year to service its burgeoning debt afford an investible surplus? And this debt-servicing burden will only increase every passing year as the government, facing a debt-trap like situation, is forced to borrow from the market at exorbitant rates.

There is one silver lining though. The state's finance department under Amit Mitra has managed to increase revenue by 30% in the last fiscal, exceeding the 25% growth target. But the growth in tax collection may not sustain in agrarian Bengal, if industry activity does not grow in the state.

GROWTH STATISTICS

This is a rare deemed positive feature of Bengal. The state has come up with better growth numbers in 2012-13. Its GDP grew 7.6% as against the national average of 4.96%; agriculture and allied sectors grew 2.56% compared with the countryi¦s 1.79% (based on advance estimates). The statei¦s industry sector grew 6.24% against the national average of 3.12%. But truth is that while these numbers are impressive, it is largely because the base is low.

RURAL INFRASTRUCTURE

This is a real positive. In her two-year stint, Mamata has used central funds very smartly in building rural infrastructure, which probably helped her party win the panchayat polls. Village roads are being built at a brisk pace using the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana. The government has taken up an aggressive rainwater harvesting project by digging 50,000 ponds across the states using labourers under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act.

Mamata is at least making some noises correctly. She has, for instance, just announced a 100% tax waiver on aviation turbine fuel (ATF), which will reduce the cost of airline operators by at least 8%. She has also announced plans to come up with a fresh industrial policy by the month end to woo investors. One hopes that industry is impressed enough to accept her offer, but that is an unfolding story yet.

West Bengal has to go miles before industrialisation in reality can begin

Criminal charges against West Bengal chief Mamata Banerjee

Director-general complains of being denied promotion and harassment after relationship turned sour

• By Archisman Dinda, Correspondent
• Published: 18:06 August 23, 2013
• 

Kolkata: One of the most senior police officers in West Bengal, Dr Nazrul Islam, has lodged a criminal complaint against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and two senior most bureaucrats of the state, chief secretary Sanjay Mitra and the home secretary Basudeb Banerjee.

Islam, who is Additional Director-General (Provisioning), submitted a 65-page letter of complaint to the Hare Street police station in Kolkata on August 17 urging the police to accept it as his First-Investigation-Report (FIR), where he has charged Banerjee and other bureaucrats of causing “criminal intimidation, causing mental agony, denying promotion, disallowing leave and bugging communication lines and causing criminal intimidation to his family members.”

On August 19, in another letter, he sought from the police what action had been initiated against his complaint and which sections of the Indian Penal Code and The Code of Criminal Procedure had been evoked against those accused.

The letter has caused a furore within the police department as it is an unprecedented move for a police officer to file an FIR against the chief minister.

Police officials refused to comment. “I am not aware,” was the statement offered by top brass of the city police.

Even Islam refused to comment. “Since this is about me, I will not comment on the issue.” Sources inform that Islam had earlier written to Banerjee warning her of filing a criminal case if she did not respond to his letter by July 22.

Islam was considered an officer close to Banerjee. He had a conflict with the previous Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee government in 2010. Banerjee then as railways minister upheld his cause as an honest and upright police officer. She created a special post for him in the railways and, on her becoming the chief minister, Islam became officer-on-special-duty at the Chief Minister’s Office.

But things started to go sour after Islam wrote two books — Betterment of Muslims in Bengal, and What the Muslims in Bengal Should Do — accusing the chief minister of trying to appease the Muslim community with handouts without really doing anything meaningful for the community.

The state government had initiated departmental proceedings against Islam accusing him of trying to create communal tension in the state.

The case was referred to the Registrar of Publications, Government of West Bengal, which after examining the contents, gave clearance as they did not find any provocative material in the books.

The police now have to seek West Bengal Governor’s sanction to prosecute anyone on the basis of this complaint.

In case no action is taken, Islam can petition the Governor, and can also move the High Court seeking judicial intervention.

Criminal charges against West Bengal chief Mamata Banerjee | GulfNews.com

Mamata Banerjee playing with fire on Gorkhaland issue: CPI(M)

PTI Aug 19, 2013, 02.51PM IST

NEW DELHI: CPI(M) on Monday said West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee was "playing with fire" in the way she was tackling the Gorkhaland issue and claimed she was "incapable" of understanding ground realities in some troubled parts of the state.

"It seems she is incapable of understanding the ground realities and the difference between Jangalmahal and the hill areas (of North Bengal). An economic package and some infrastructure development can bring some visible changes in the former, but in Darjeeling, one has to take into account the ethnic factors entwined in the whole issue.

"It seems the chief minister is oblivious of it. She is playing with fire. We can only hope that it doesn't burn her and the rest of the state," CPI(M) Politburo member and Leader of Opposition in West Bengal Surjya Kanta Mishra told PTI.

He accused Banerjee of first "playing cosy" with Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) for "petty political gains", then going for a tri-partite accord in July 2011 and "now when GJM ups its demand after Telengana, she gets into a combative mode."

"This kind of flip-flop will never help. The chief minister should have never slammed the doors on dialogue. You can't abruptly stop talking," Mishra, who was here to attend CPI(M) Central Committee meeting, said.

He asserted that there was no other way for the state government than to hold a tripartite dialogue with the agitators, involving the Centre.

"Moreover, an all-party meeting on the issue, which we have been demanding for long, should be convened with all stakeholders urgently to discuss the prevailing situation," he said.

Mishra, whose party has been opposed to the creation of a separate state of Gorkhaland, said it was not a pragmatic idea to have a state where there were only three sub-divisions and not a single district.

"A separate state is never a viable option," he said while referring to the need for sustaining the economy in the hill region and the strategic importance of Darjeeling vis-a- vis international borders.

"But the Trinamool government as well as the Centre, where the TMC was a coalition partner then, should have understood this before including the word Gorkhaland (in Gorkhaland Territorial Administration or GTA) and acknowledging the demand for a separate state while passing an Act in the Assembly. We had opposed those provisions of GTA Act, but the government was adamant.

"And now, stopping all talks or negotiations with the agitators, the chief minister is only stoking fire. The Hillsare not smiling back to her," the CPI(M) leader said.

Regarding the recent panchayat polls in West Bengal, Misra said the Left's gains, mainly in the gram panchayat and panchayat samiti tiers, were "in those areas where Trinamool had won hands down in 2011 Assembly polls".

Mamata Banerjee playing with fire on Gorkhaland issue: CPI(M)

Singur's farmers discover the lie of the land

Unwilling land-losers to the Tata Nano project in Bengal remain the biggest victims of the politics that brought Banerjee to power

By Ishita Ayan Dutt  |  Kolkata  July 23, 2013

Business Standard, Columns

Singur has always been kind to Mamata Banerjee. First, it resurrected her political career. Then, just days before the panchayat elections this month, as angst over an unending wait for the return of land acquired for Tata Motors' small car project from farmers who did not wish to sell was growing, the Supreme Court suggested that the company return the land.

Banerjee and Singur share a history that dates back to 2006. On May 18, that year, a beaming Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, who had just been sworn in for a second term as chief minister, announced - flanked by Ratan Tata and Tata Sons' brass at Writers' Buildings - that the project to make the world's cheapest car, the Nano, would be located in Bengal. "How do you like the beginning?" he asked reporters, a reference to his attempt to attract big business to Bengal. Little did he know that this signature project would mark the beginning of the end of the Left Front's 34-year dominance in the state.

It was Bhattacharjee's ambition to put Bengal back at the forefront of industrialisation, and he believed the Nano project was the first step towards realising it. Getting the project to locate itself on agricultural land about an hour's drive from Kolkata wasn't easy. Tata Motors' interest came with the rider that the state government should offer fiscal incentives equivalent to the value of those offered by Uttarakhand, whose backward state designation allowed it to deliver income tax and excise duty relief.

Naturally, the incentive package an eager state government devised for Tata Motors was extremely friendly. It offered the following:

(a) Industrial promotion assistance from the state industrial development corporation in the form of a loan at 0.1 per cent interest for amounts equal to the Value Added Tax and Central Sales Tax the Bengal government received on Nano sales in each of the previous years ended March 31. The loan, with interest, was to be repayable in annual instalments after the 30th anniversary of the plant starting sales.

(b) A 90-year lease for 645.67 acres at Singur at an annual rental of Rs 1 crore for the first five years. The rent would increase 25 per cent after every five years for 30 years; Rs 5 crore a year from the 31st year with an increase of 30 per cent every 10 years till the 60th year; Rs 20 crore a year from the 61st year to the 90th year.

(c) A loan of Rs 200 crore at 1 per cent interest repayable in five equal annual instalments from the 21st year.

(d) Electricity at Rs 3 per kwh. If the rates were raised more than Rs 0.25 per kwh in any block of five years, the government would provide relief through additional compensation to neutralise the increase.

It wasn't this package, which would have meant a significant forfeiture of state revenue, that exercised the politics of West Bengal as much as Banerjee's decision to make the discontent of 2,000-odd unwilling land-losers - who accounted for roughly 180 acres of land - the centre of her political campaign.

But from August 24, 2008, Banerjee and her party laid an indefinite siege to the area around the plant. She claimed unwilling land-losers accounted for 400 acres and not 181 acres as the state claimed. The 400 acres, she felt, could be retrieved from the vendors' park, which was adjacent to the mother plant, and the remaining 600-odd acres could be reserved for the project.

The demand was untenable to Tata Motors. To keep the cost of the Nano at Rs 1 lakh, it was imperative to maintain the integrated nature of the project. With Banerjee's energetic help, the protests reached such a pitch that Ratan Tata announced the headline-grabbing decision to relocate the project, which it did with even more fanfare to Sanand in Gujarat.

Despite this, Banerjee as chief minister never budged from her position. Hours after taking charge at Writers' Buildings, the state secretariat, she announced the Cabinet decision to return land to unwilling land-losers. After a flip-flop over an Ordinance, the Singur Land Rehabilitation and Development Bill was passed in the West Bengal Assembly on June 14, 2011, vesting the entire land allocated to Tata Motors and its vendors with the state government.

A week after the Bill was passed, Tata Motors moved court challenging it. The first round went to Banerjee. A Calcutta High Court single-judge order declared the Act valid. The Division Bench (moved by Tata Motors), however, set aside the single-judge order and struck down the Act, primarily because it was in conflict with the Land Acquisition Act of 1894. The state then filed an appeal in the Supreme Court.

It was while hearing an appeal challenging the quashing of the Act that the Supreme Court asked the Tata group to make its stand clear on the leasehold rights over Singur. But it is unlikely that the Tata group will give up the fight. It's not just about the land; for the group, it's as important to clear its name from the Banerjee government's allegation that it had "abandoned" the project, which is the basis for the Singur Act. In reality, the plant, at the time of pullout, was 80 per cent ready.

Tata Motors had invested over Rs 1,800 crore in developing and levelling the land, and constructed the plant in 13 months. Trial production had even started. "...no stone was left unturned to ensure that commencement of production happens in time to meet the targeted launch date of November, 2008," the company's petition to the court said. Thirteen vendors had also finished constructing their plants, and 17 others were at various stages of construction.

Hypothetically, even if the Supreme Court verdict goes against Tata Motors, returning the land would be well-nigh impossible. The land belonging to the unwilling farmers doesn't add up to 400 acres, as Banerjee has repeatedly claimed, and more importantly, it's scattered over the 997 acres. Then again, 11,000 farmers who willingly sold are likely to object if their land were bagged by unwilling farmers, when they had actually given it for an industrial project. Indeed, they, too, are in court challenging the Act.

Still, the court's comments have breathed fresh hope into the "unwilling" farmers of Singur. They have waited seven years. They took a leap of faith when Banerjee told them their land would be returned. But so far, they have neither received the compensation offered from the state government (because they refused to accept the cheques and thereby became unwilling) nor the land. They remain the biggest victims of Banerjee's populist politics.

Money chase unites two M’s

Mumbai, Aug. 1: Amit Mitra delivered Mumbai’s business stars for Mamata Banerjee today. The question now is whether the stars will deliver for the chief minister what she wants them to: investments. 

The finance minister, saddled with the difficult task of managing Bengal’s straitened circumstances, put the full force of his persuasive skills developed during his earlier stint as Ficci secretary-general into play to get top industrialists and bankers for the meeting with the chief minister.

A beaming Mamata said later: “I am very happy at the turnout. My expectation was 100 per cent but it exceeded my expectation.” 

The chief minister — whose first investor meet in Delhi last December was a flop — had reasons to be happy as Mitra offered her both quality and quantity at the meeting at the World Trade Centre at Cuffe Parade in south Mumbai. 

In attendance were Reliance chairman Mukesh Ambani, Godrej boss Adi Godrej, JSW Group’s Sajjan Jindal, RPG Enterprise’s Harsh Goenka, Pantaloon’s Kishore Biyani and Amit Kalyani of Bharat Forge. Top bankers — Uday Kotak of Kotak Mahindra and ICICI managing director Chanda Kochhar — were at hand, too.

The most notable absentee was Tata Sons chairman Cyrus Mistry, though one group representative did show up — N. Chandrasekharan, the managing director of TCS that has development centres in Calcutta. 

Investment is critical for Mamata, who landed in Mumbai with a massive mandate in the rural polls, because of the absence of employment opportunities. Though the Trinamul government has been claiming that it has received proposals worth over Rs 1.2 lakh crore since the change of guard in Bengal, it has little to show in terms of actual investment. 

Asked if the meeting brought forth any concrete proposal, Mamata avoided a direct reply. “It cannot be done this way. We have made our points. Bengal is a gold mine, I told them. They should now decide what to do,” she said. 

Although a meeting of this nature was not quite expected to yield tangible gains, Mamata — often portrayed as anti-industry for her Singur agitation — scored on two counts. 

First, she managed to draw a packed audience, which would help silence her critics for some time. Some industrialists The Telegraph spoke to said they had come because of Mitra. “I was at the meeting because I could not say no to Amit Mitra,” said one of them.

Mamata’s second success was winning a bouquet of praises, with one industrialist describing her after the meeting as “charming”. 

“We have seen your passion on TV, today we felt that in person as you addressed us,” Kochhar said, according to tweets by Derek O’Brien, Rajya Sabha MP and Mamata aide. 

Ambani, the biggest draw, said the fact that she had come to Mumbai within 48 hours of a landslide victory “means you mean business”, according to O’Brien’s tweet.

Later, Ambani met the chief minister at the Sahyadri Guest House. The Reliance chairman, accompanied by Reliance Gio head Tarun Jhunjhunwala, is believed to have brought to Mamata’s attention the roadblocks to rolling out 4G services in Bengal.

At the meeting, the industrialists avoided asking tough questions either because they did not wish to offend the chief minister or they were not interested enough in Bengal.

To questions about land, Mamata said 10,000 acres were available with the government. But the fact is that most of this land is in small parcels. 

Speaking to The Telegraph after the meeting, Goenka summed it up. “It went off really well. She certainly won the hearts of the people, but she has to also win the purse of the people.”

SEE MORE:

Money chase unites two M’s

Why Mukesh Ambani met Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee

Digbijay Mishra | Business Standard | Kolkata   

August 2, 2013 Last Updated at 18:45 IST 

Ambani is known to have discussed key matters in a one-on-one interaction with Banerjee after the meet

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s meet with the who’s who of India Inc in Mumbai turned out to be a runaway hit, courtesy Reliance Industries’ Mukesh Ambani.

According to a tweet by Trinamool Congress’ Derek O’ Brien, Ambani was believed to have said that the Chief Minister meant business, given that she was in Mumbai barely 48 hours after a big electoral victory. But it’s not just Banerjee who meant business.

 

After the India Inc meeting Ambani met the Chief Minister one-on-one at the guest house where she had put up. State government sources said, none of the other state ministers were present during the meeting.

 

“HPL and 4G were the key matters discussed. He (Ambani) was very keen on 4G but HPL too was important on his agenda,” industry minister, Partha Chatterjee said, but added that no one was allowed to inturrept the one-on one between Banerjee and Ambani.

 

On the 4G front, the company plans to lay optical fibre cables across 5,500 km. It would use 3,500 telecom towers to support its 4G services in the state. Work has already started on laying cables across 300 km, the company management had said during a recent conference in the state. The investment in the project was around Rs 3,000 crore.

 

However, Haldia Petrochemicals Ltd (HPL) could just higher on Ambani’s priority. HPL, eastern India's biggest petrochem company, has been on the radar of RIL for quite some time. RIL has submitted an expression of interest for the state government’s 40 per cent stake. The five other bidders are Anil Agarwal’s Cairn India, Essar, IOC, ONGC and GAIL.

 

The plant visit, as part of the due diligence process, started on Thursday wherein the bidders would visit the plant, which according to HPL's former MD Partha Bhattacharyya could boast of international quality products. 

 

While RIL has formally joined the race for HPL now, its interest is an open secret. In 2006, Ambani had come down to meet Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, who was the Chief Minister then. 

“Ambani said, I will come if you want me,” a senior Left leader said.

 

The state government was keen on selling its stake to Ambani, but an agreement with TCG’s Purnendu Chatterjee for the first rights of refusal, held it back. Ambani was asked to settle the matter with Purnendu Chatterjee directly, but it didn’t result in anything material.

This time too, the stake sale could get entangled in a legal battle. TCG has already filed an appeal in Supreme Court against a Calcutta High Court order. TCG wanted to move the international court of arbitration, against which the state government had moved the High Court.

 

SEE MORE:

Why Mukesh Ambani met Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee | Business Standard

Save Democracy in West Bengal

Save Democracy Campaign

The Polit Bureau in its meeting held on July 20, 2013 has called for a countrywide campaign to “Save Democracy and to Defeat the Violence and Terror in West Bengal”, on August 7.

The panchayat election campaign and the polling have been marked by large-scale booth capturing, false voting, blockade of villages and violent attacks on the Left Front and opposition candidates and their polling agents.

Even before the polling, around 6000 Left Front candidates were prevented from filing nominations. After that, in many places, CPI(M) and Left Front candidates and supporters were stopped and attacked while campaigning. Till July 20, 19 CPI(M) and Left Front members and supporters have been killed.

More than 2500 booths were fully or partially captured and the polling rigged in the nine districts where poling has taken place in the first three phases.

This attack and rigging of elections is reminiscent of the 1972 rigged assembly elections. What is being witnessed in West Bengal is a brazen and outright attack on democracy and democratic rights.

The Polit Bureau has decided that all state units of the Party should observe August 7 by taking this issue to the people through holding of protest dharnas, meetings and processions.

On August 7 protest day and subsequently, meetings will be organised in the state capitals/major centres during the rest of the month of August.

Jul. 20, 2013