West Bengal offers land to Wipro and Infosys

KOLKATA: September 17, 2009: The West Bengal government will formally invite information technology majors — Wipro and Infosys — to take immediate possession of 45 acres of land being offered to each of them at Rajarhat on the outskirts of the city and start constructing their facilities there.

On September 7, the government had decided not to proceed with the proposed joint sector IT township in and around Rajarhat in the wake of allegations of illegal land deals by a private partner of the project.

“We are ready to give 45 acres of land to both the IT giants, Wipro and Infosys. We will contact them and ask them to come…The units they set up will create huge job opportunities – an estimated 16,000 jobs – within the next two to three years,” Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee said here on Thursday.

The State government will contact the two companies on Friday with the offer.

The sites identified for the two IT giants is in the custody of the State’s Housing Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd and has adequate social infrastructure that will suit the interests of the two companies, Mr Bhattacharjee said. “The price of the land being offered to them will be negotiated with the companies,” he added. Both the IT majors have been keen to set up units in the State. “In the case of Wipro, which already has a facility in the city, it is a matter of expansion of their activities. As for Infosys, they have been very eager to come.”

Admitting that it was “unfortunate” that criminal activities “of which we had no idea earlier” were being engaged in for acquiring land for a section of the proposed joint sector IT township within which the two companies had earlier been offered 90 acres of land each, the Chief Minister said his government had decided that “it would not be morally correct” for it to go ahead with the project.

BENGAL CPI (M) CALLS FOR MASS RALLIES AND MASS CONVENTIONS

KOLKATA, 17th September 2009: In its one-day meeting held on 17 September, the state committee of the Bengal CPI (M) gave a rousing call for mass assemblages and mass conventions to be continued all over the state to defend democracy and to foil imperialist designs. Biman Basu later briefed the media.

Earlier Biman had led the discussion at the state committee meeting where Bengal chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee was present throughout. Buddhadeb later briefed the media at the CPI (M) Bengal HQ.

One needs to discuss especial attention some of the mot pints that were debated discussed, and resolved at the meeting. The Bengal CPI (M) leader was clear in stressing the pro-rich and anti-poor outlook of the Congress-led régime at the centre.

Biman had little doubt that as the days would rush by the urge for consumerism and the disruption of people’s unity would be actively pushed forth and unimpeded by the Indian ruling classes that held a vice-like grip over the rich-dominated central government. Attacks on the pro-poor Left especially the three CPI (M)-led LF governments in the country would increase incessantly.

The speaker drew specific examples to show the unabashed pro-people bias the central government displayed with garishness. The points to note include disinvestment en masse, massive financial benefits being accrue or big business, especially MNCs operating in India, and a wide tax cut across the board for those in the super-rich category, miniscule as the population of this kind may be.

It is against these policies, continued Biman that a continuous, organised, militant movement of the mass of the people must be built up and there was no time to be lost. Biman discussed in great depth the political situation coming up in Bengal. He recalled the massive assemblage of the people on 31 August and called it a success thanks to the months of campaign that had preceded it in thousands of cities, townships, villages, and hamlets in the remotest corners of the state.

Biman also informed the state committee that the task of improving and further augmenting the Party organisation was a necessary task of supreme importance at the present point in time in Bengal. The Party functioning must be made to move ahead apace, keeping the interest of the working people firmly in focus.

Rectification campaign, reminded Biman, was not, could not by its very character, a marsumi, or seasonal job. It must continue with even greater fervour in the present political ambience when attacks were raining down on the CPI (M) and the Left from the imperialist-backed class enemies.

Party education must be stressed at all functional levels of the Bengal CPI (M) was the consensus of the state committee which also agreed to what Biman focussed light on, i.e., increasing the circulation of not just the Bengali language Party press but also of central organs like the People’s Democracy, and Lok Lehar.

Addressing the state committee, Buddhadeb said that the governmental functioning needed to be accelerated in terms of targeted development for the mass of the people of Bengal. The people must be approached and told that the attempt to build up terror in Bengal must be resisted at all costs, for the sake of peace, progress, and prosperity.

The slogan and the cry ‘working class, unite!’ should be highlighted in the form of a political drive. The Bengal CPI (M) on its part must continue to play the vanguard rôle of urging on the masses to take the state of Bengal forward in all developmental sectors, agrarian and industrial, head always held high.

‘Maoists’ Unabated Barbarism in Jangal Mahal Area

By N S Arjun

LALGARH(WEST MEDINIPUR),13th September,2009: RATAN Mahato, a school teacher in Pirakata village, 25 km away from Lalgarh town, was a CPI(M) supporter. And for this ‘crime’, the ‘Maoists’ had made him hold his ears and do squats publicly in July 2009, ordering that he immediately quit the Party. Although Mahato had distanced himself from the Party, he did not put up posters proclaiming his quitting the Party as was demanded. Around 20 of these blood-thirsty goons returned to Pirakata on the night of August 25, 2009, and brutally slit his throat after severely beating him up for not obeying their order.

This gory incident is only one example of continuing barbarity of ‘Maoists’ in the jangal mahal area comprising the forest areas of West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia districts. Despite the central and state police forces' joint operation and presence in Lalgarh area, the killings, the burning down of CPI(M) offices, the looting of houses of CPI(M) supporters beatings and kidnaps etc continue unhindered. After sunset when the forces return to their base camps, the armed 'Maoist' squads take over. They conduct marches in the villages, flashing their AK-47s and INSAS rifles, terrorising the poor tribals. And among those in the killer squads are members of the 'People’s Committee Against Police Atrocities’ comprising Trinamuli, Jharkhand Party activists. Trinamuli/Jharkhandis in day-time and Maoists by night! This nexus, of course, had become clear when Trinamuli activist Chatradhar Mahato became secretary of the People’s Committee. His younger brother Sasadhar Mahato is a zonal commander of ‘Maoists’ while the secretary of the committee is a ‘Maoist’ action squad member.

But why is this reign of terror continuing even after deployment of central and state armed forces in good strength in these areas? After the first phase of joint operations against the ‘Maoists’ in Lalgarh in mid-June, there was some improvement in the situation with the state administration bring able to make entry and establish apparent control of the area. Some relief was provided to the people in terms of delivering food rations and rendering health services. The people gave good reception to the security forces. However the situation deteriorated from the first week of July as the security operations got bogged down and entered into such a mode that their actual purpose was not being served. Occasionally, encounters do take place but the hot pursuit and neutralisation of the criminals is not happening.

It is pertinent to recall here the hue and cry raised by the Trinamul chief and key union cabinet minister Mamata Banarjee immediately after the first phase of joint operations started yielding results. She openly demanded cessation of these operations and withdrawal of central forces from Lalgarh. Disregarding the advice of the state government, two union ministers, Sishir Adhikary and Mukul Roy, accompanied by the leader of opposition in the state Partho Chatterjee went to Lalgarh on July 28, 2009 along with a jumbo team and held public meetings demanding withdrawal of security forces. They charged that the central government was strengthening the CPI(M) by sending these forces. On the same day they held a closed-door meeting with activists of People’s Committee, among whom were known ‘Maoist’ elements. What transpired in the meeting is not known but the consequences have been very clear. There has been a spurt in the killings of CPI(M) supporters, their torture, looting, burning of property etc after this closed-door meeting. It is clear these elements were reassured by the central ministers presence and backing.

Simultaneously there has been a lag in the security forces’ operations. The CRPF adopted a particular modus operandi here which not only prevents speedy pursuit of culprits but also could alert them about the impending search operation. After the experiences in Chhatisgarh, the CRPF decided to move only in large formations here for any operation. Also, there is a condition that an equal strength of state police force should accompany them. The forces have so far arrested around 45 persons but only very few among them are ‘Maoists’. This situation is being utilised by the ‘Maoists’ to expand their areas of domination. In the recent past they could extend to two more Gram Panchayats. The 15-day long strike called by them from August 18-31, 2009 demanding withdrawal of security forces saw some areas of Jhagram also getting affected. It is learnt that they are conducting around seven armed training camps in the surrounding jungles in which even 16-year olds are being imparted weapons-training. Is there a linkage between the spurt in the incidents of violence and a perceptible lag in the operations of the central security forces? Has Trinamul Congress pressure for cessation of all operations by security forces and their withdrawal worked? At this stage one can only surmise.

PEOPLE’S RESISTANCE

Unlike in any other state they are operating in, the ‘Maoists’ face organised people’s resistance in Bengal to their barbarities against the poor and the weak. This resistance is led by the CPI(M). This, in part, explains the entire thrust of 'Maoists' on terrorising the villagers from any form of association with the CPI(M). That the ‘Maoists’ are not entirely succeeding in this is apparent from an incident in Nepura village, 10 km away from Lalgarh, on September 7, 2009. A former CPI(M) MLA and member of CPI(M) West Midnapore district committee, Durga Tudu, was sought to be attacked by five armed ‘Maoists’. Even as they were approaching his house with guns slinging on their shoulders, more than 40 villagers spontaneously resisted them with whatever they could lay their hands on – axes, sticks, rods etc. Clearly outnumbered and seeing the rage of the villagers, the ‘Maoists’ tried to beat a hasty retreat. But three of them were caught by the villagers with their guns and thrashed and later handed over to the police. The media has commented that this is the first instance in Lalgarh where the 'Maoists' had to face such a situation. But even earlier also such incidents of resistance took place. During our visit to Salboni recently, we met with one such comrade from Babubasha village under Salboni PS limits. On June 23, 2009, six armed “Maoists’ came to his house and called him out. They beat up his two sons who were sitting on the verandah when they tried to obstruct them. Both the sons bravely fought the ‘Maoists’ with bare hands. Hearing the commotion, hundreds of villagers gathered and chased away the armed goons some 2 km into the forests. Now, the Party is sheltering the entire family of this comrade. CPI(M) West Midnapore district secretary Professor Dipak Sarkar said that the Party has moved out around 5000 such comrades from these areas and is taking care of them. He said the Party is campaigning all over the district against the terror unleashed by these forces. A one-lakh strong procession under the aegis of the Left Front was held in the district headquarters, Medinipur, on August 16 which created a good impact on the people. Similarly all mass organisations have been conducting mass programmes mobilising the people against terror and anarchy. However, he underlined that this problem is a very serious one and needs to be tackled with much patience and sacrifices. He expressed the confidence that ultimately the people will overcome these forces of terror and anarchy.

Anuj Pandey, CPI(M) Binpur zonal secretary, (under which zone Lalgarh falls) expressed similar resolve. As the man top most on the hit list of these goons, he is remarkably unassuming and unnerved. He reeled off the names of comrades killed or kidnapped, by the 'Maoists' in his zonal area. His own home in Bharatpur village has been razed to ground and looted. Under precarious conditions, he is immersed in organising people's resistance to the 'Maoists'. Many people in the villages under 'Maoist' control are dissatisfied and angry due to various reasons. Primary among them is the stoppage of all sort of development activity or services by the administration due to this terror. Moreover, there is blatant extortion/looting by these elements. In fact, recently the 'Maoists' shot dead two of their Jharkhandi colleagues over a dispute about extortion money. There are also serious charges of siphoning of government money by the panchayats ruled by Trinamuli/Jharkhand Party leaders to procure arms for the 'Maoists'. But to channelise this dissatisfaction into a fight against these forces requires the presence of the CPI(M) in these areas. There is talk of a coordinated 'major offensive' against 'Maoists' by security forces stationed here along with the forces in neighbouring Jharkhand. It remains to be seen when that is going to happen and how successful it is going to be in creating confidence among the people.

Some Recent Incidents of Violence

Every other day in Bengal, some or other CPI(M) leaders / activists / sympathisers / supporters are being shot or hacked to death or kidnapped by the murderous goons of Trinamul-'Maoists' combine. Below we give a list of a few of these recent attacks.

August 30: 'Maoists' beat up a woman panchayat chief in Purulia, Latika Hemambra because she had not obeyed their diktat a year ago to quit the CPI(M). Around 8 p m, about 30 goons, armed with rifles, single-barrel guns and revolvers, marched to Nodudi village in the Ayodhya hills of Purulia. When they reached the village — Latika lives there — they warned the people not to step out of their houses.

On reaching Latika’s hut they kicked open the door. Latika, 32, and her husband Gopal, a CPI(M) worker, were sleeping in the courtyard. “We asked you to quit the CPI(M) a year ago. But you did not,” the Maoists yelled at her. Then they started hitting the couple using their rifle butts. “‘If you don’t quit the party now, you will be murdered’, they proclaimed and went away firing their guns in the air.

From there they marched 10 km to Jitinglahar village to CPI(M) branch secretary Debiprasad Hansda's home. Debiprasad was sleeping with his father Hiralal, 68. As soon as his mother opened the door, about 10 rebels rushed in, pushing her aside. Debiprasad’s parents fell at the feet of the Maoists, begging for their son’s life. They kicked the 45-year-old CPI(M) leader awake, then shot him twice in the chest. He died on the spot. “They told him this was the price of his association with the corrupt CPI(M). Then they shot him twice,” wept Hiralal, according to newspaper reports.

August 29: Two CPI(M) supporters were shot dead by 'Maoists' in West Midnapore and Purulia, both rebel strongholds. Lakshmi Kanta Kumar, a 50-year- old CPI(M) local committee secretary was waylaid by a group of Maoists when he was returning home in Arsa, Purulia, about 360 km from Calcutta. He was murdered near a CRPF camp in Mudali, which is near Arsa. According to reports, five assailants on motorbikes fired at Lakshmi from a close range, killing him on the spot. The assailants fled under the cover of darkness, In another incident, an armed gang of Maoists killed Bidyut Baran Das in Binpur, West Midnapore. The assailants stopped Bidyut, 48, a poultry seller and supporter of CPI(M), when he was returning home on his bicycle and pumped bullets into him,

August 28: Mangal Soren, DYFI activist in Binpur, who was mobilising public opinion against a Maoist-backed bandh was gunned down while he was tilling his land. Five 'Maoists' came on motorcycles and shot him from close range. The blood-thirsty hoodlums then hacked him with axes. An axe flew out of the hand of one of the attackers and hit another farmer at a distance. After the gang left, villagers put the two on a trekker and rushed them to hospital, but Mangal Soren died on the way. Soren was actively campaigning against the strike in West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia called by the People's Committee demanding withdrawal of security forces from Lalgarh.

August 19: The houses of CPI(M) local committee member Bankim Singha and chief of the Baita gram panchayat Suman Singha were attacked by ‘Maoists’. This despite both the leaders announcing that they had quit the party a month ago following Maoist threats. Fortunately, both of them were not present at the time of these attacks. After ransacking and breaking the furniture with axes and rods, the goons looted jewellery and money. On the same day the CPI(M) local committee office in Malbandhi was also attacked and burnt.

August 15: ‘Maoists’ shot dead a CPI(M) leader, Ramkrishna Duley, in a Bankura village about 25 km from Lalgarh. The 47 year old leader was returning home from his field in the afternoon when two men cycled up to him on a dirt road and opened fire. Duley was killed 500 metres from his home in Sarenga. He is the first CPI(M) man to be killed in Bankura since the security forces moved into Lalgarh.

West Bengal drops IT township project

KOLKATA,7th August,2009: The West Bengal government on Monday announced that it “cannot proceed” with the proposed joint sector Kolkata Link IT township project near Rajarhat in North 24 Parganas district following allegations of land grabbing and the recent arrest of managing director of a firm, which is a private partner.

This is a setback to the State’s plans to develop the IT sector.“The government does not want to be involved in any illegal activity. Thus the IT department cannot proceed with the project …,” a release said.

“Under the circumstance, we are unable to stick to our assurance of providing land to Wipro and Infosys.”Major IT companies had already sealed agreements with the State to set up facilities in the township. The project was to have come up on 1,200 acres.

FULL TEXT OF THE PRESS RELEASE:

Press release by Information Technology Department, Government of West Bengal

(Enclosure to 15(50)- JS(SB)/IT(O)/91/2007 dated 07.09.09)

Recently, all of us came across several conflicting news items about Kolkata Link IT township. Though IT Department do not like to comment on each and every news item, we believe that all these created a lot of confusions among the people, specially the actual stakeholders of this project including several IT companies and thousands of young aspirants who want to be employed in their own state after their studies.

To clear the confusion and to avoid any further confounding, IT department decided to provide the necessary information about this project in written form. That is why the IT department is releasing this press note. We believe that everyone should have the right to know about this township plan, its present status and its fate. To make it more visualized and to help the people to have more access to the information, IT department has decided to publish it in the website of IT department http://www.itwb.org/. Anybody who has any query about this press release can send the questions to ittownship@gmail.com or send them through fax to the number 22821944. It will be answered as quickly as possible in written form and we will also provide it in the website of the department. It may please be noted that the questions should relate to this press release only.

*********************************************************

1. Background

(i) Despite continuous efforts land could not be offered to some key IT companies who have been demanding the same since 2004-2005. This had been hindering the growth and depriving the state from realizing its full potential in this field. Three of the top five employers are TCS, Wipro and Infosys. All are expected to grow @ 12.15% per year in today’s tough times and @ 30% in the good times.

(ii) Reputed IT companies like Wipro, Infosys were very much interested to get the land at New Town Rajarhat. But the price of that land deterred them to take it.

(iii) In the middle of 2006 Infosys was shown land near vedic village by WBIDC. The state Government planned to make land available for Infosys and other IT companies near Vedic village by March 2007. But this land could not be acquired till date.

(iv) The State Government in general and IT department in particular were under tremendous pressure as the Government had failed successive dates for acquiring and handing over land to Infosys and other IT companies.

(v) Failing to get land in West Bengal several IT companies like Infosys, Zensar and Wipro started taking land and expanding their base in adjacent state, Orissa.

2. IT department’s initiative

To address this impasse, IT department explored all the available options: land acquisition, land purchase and public private partnership.

(i) IT department arranged Government land at Kalyani. This site did not become acceptable to the industries. We could succeed to arrange the visit of Wipro there, but they did not like to take it.

(ii) IT Department started acquiring land through Land and Land Reforms Department at Jagadishpur Mouza, which came under opposition. In September, 2008 the notice under section 4 was given which sparked off agitation. In May, 2009 the notice under section 6 was given. However, due to public agitation, it was stalled. IT department was offering a high price for acquisition – about Rs. 1.10 lakh per cottah (evidence shows that it was much higher than the market price).

(iii) When the Government failed to provide land and accommodate IT companies, a private company on its own initiative contacted Infosys and offered them land in the area close to Airport and Rajarhat New Town. Infosys visited the area a number of times and agreed to take the land and come here provided the Govt. was involved in the project. The company also engaged the renowned architect of the country, Hafeez Contractor, whose services are extensively used by Infosys also for their projects.

(iv) This private company, namely, M/S Akash Nirman Pvt. Ltd. offered a proposal to IT department for an IT township in this area. They gave an undertaking to assemble land for the development of this integrated IT Township. It proposed to hand over 50% of the land assembled free of cost to Government to allot land to IT companies. Towards this the company was willing to enter into a joint venture agreement with Webel for the creation of a joint sector company for the development of an integrated IT township complete with required social infrastructure like commercial complex, convention centre, housing, food court, hospitals, gymnasium, training centres etc. In lieu of sharing 50% of land with Webel/Government for allocation to IT companies, the Joint Venture partner expected Webel to take the responsibility of providing the road connectivity for this township as well as the other required physical infrastructure facilities like power, water supply, sewerage disposal, etc. at the doorstep of the proposed project area.

3. Cabinet Approval

With this background and taking into account the urgent requirement of land by some key IT companies (Wipro, Infosys, ITC Infotech, ICICI, etc) the IT Dept. prepared a Cabinet Memorandum for entering into this partnership for the establishment of this IT township.

The cabinet memo was submitted to Finance Department, which made some observations. All observations of the Finance Department were accepted by the IT Department including the condition that the expenditure to be incurred on infrastructure should not exceed the amount realized by providing land to IT companies. The memo was then placed before the Cabinet Standing Committee on Industry which approved the above proposal in its meeting on 28th February, 2008. The members present in this meeting were - the Chief Minister, C & I Minister, Finance Minister, MSME Minister and IT Minister. This was later mentioned and ratified by the full Cabinet in its meeting on 17th April, 2008.

4. The Proposed IT township and Vedic village resort are totally separate

As per the master plan the southernmost point of the township touches HIDCO area, which is about 7 kms away from Vedic Village where it ends. The proposed township does not include the Vedic Village Resort. However, the owner of Vedic Village Resort is one of the Directors of Akash Nirman Pvt. Ltd.

5. Land to Wipro and Infosys—

IT Dept. signed separate MOU on 03/04/08 with Wipro and Infosys to hand over 90 acres of land each to the two companies at the IT township. The representatives of Wipro, and Infosys along with IT Department met the Chief Minister on 24/04/08 to seal these agreements.

6. Nothing Concealed from Public/ No Clandestine

In a joint press conference of IT Department, Wipro and Infosys on 24th April, 2008 all details of the township project were spelt out openly before the press. At no stage did the IT Department try to hide it from the public. All the news agencies carried it as the lead story on 25th April, 2008. Besides, it was reported in detail several times in the leading newspapers (Ananda Bazar Patrika 08/06/08, Times of India on 04/03/08). It was also articulated in the Annual Report of the IT Department and the budget speech of IT minister. The project is thus well known.

7. A Joint Sector Company was formed

As per cabinet approval, the Joint Sector company namely “WEBEL Akash IT links Pvt, Ltd.” was formed on 26/09/08.4

8. Involvement of other Departments to facilitate the Project

(i) Housing Department: IT Minister wrote to Housing Minister on 29th May and 24th September 2008 and the Principal Secretary, IT wrote to MD, HIDCO on 13/06/08 informing about project and seeking road connectivity and access to HIDCO area. HIDCO in its letter dated 4th July 2008 to the IT Department agreed to provide the access road connecting the said township with HIDCO and asked IT Department to bear the cost for this connectivity.

(ii) Land and Land Reforms Department: Letters were issued by the IT Department to Land and Land Reforms department on 04/05/08, 05/08/08, 25/08/08, 27/08/08, 22/09/08, 26/09/08, 17/12/08, and 22/12/08 asking for the required clearances. The L&LR Department issued an order on 11/12/08 allowing the Joint Sector company and its constituents to hold land in excess of ceiling limit.

(iii) Urban Development Department: The IT Department wrote to the UD Department on 04/07/08, 19/08/08, 27/08/08, 24/09/08, and17/10/08 asking for the required clearances and notification. The UD Department issued the notification on 17/11/08 declaring the Project Area as a Planning Area under the Town and Country Planning Act along with the constitution of a Planning Authority. The UD Department again issued a letter on 03/12/08 concerning the Planning Area. The Planning Authority constituted includes representatives from the IT Department, the UD Department, KMDA, District Administration—North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas and Finance Department. The first meeting of this Authority was held on 27/05/09.

(iv) PW Department: Letters were issued by IT Department on 27/08/08 and12/11/08. PWD was requested to strengthen and widen the existing road of 211 Bus route which connects the township.

(v) Irrigation and Waterways Department: Letters were issued on 4/7/08 and 12/11/08. Officials of this Department surveyed the area for the sewerage canal and connectivity of this township.

(vi) Power Department: Meetings were held with official of Power Department to meet the power requirement of the township.

(vii) Chief Secretary’s Review meetings with concerned Departments:Meetings were held under the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary on 26/5/2008, 13/8/2008, and 22/10/2008 where the progress of this Project was reviewed. In the meetings the officials of the concerned Departments including Housing, Urban Development, Land and Land Reforms, PWD, Power, Irrigation and Waterways, District Administration of North and South 24 Pgs were invited.

9. Another Cabinet Approval

UD Department mentioned its Notifications of Planning Area concerning the said project in the Cabinet meeting on 27/01/09 and got it ratified.

10. The present position

(i) IT Department has or had no connection or role in purchasing process. Moreover, the Department had no whiff of any forcible purchase.

(ii) In May 2009, IT Department got a list of 90 acres of land from the private partner that could be given to IT companies. Immediately on 27/05/09, WEBEL provided the details of the 90 acres of land to Infosys. Infosys informed IT Department that though they were keen to take the land, they preferred to go slow at present in view of the global economic slowdown.

(iii) An understanding was reached with Wipro to provide them 50 acres of land to them. The land is ready. The IT Department is looking into the details of this land (whether it is contiguous, whether it has valid registration, mutation etc.).

(iv) No land has been transferred till date to either WEBEL or the joint sector company Webel Akash IT Links Pvt. Ltd.

11. The effects of recent incident surrounding Vedic Village

(i) In a recent incident, the Managing Director of the Private Partner has been arrested by the police;

(ii) The Government does not want to be involved in any illegal activity;

(iii) Already, some Departments have opined to scrap the project;

(iv) It is also impossible for IT Department to proceed with the project, if any of the six Departments mentioned in section 8 refuses to facilitate;

(v) Thus IT Department cannot proceed with the project; and

(vi) Under the circumstances, at this moment we are unable to stick to our assurances of providing land to Wipro and Infosys and thereby constrained to inform them about the Government’s inability.

31ST AUGUST RALLY AT KOLKATA

50TH ANNIVERSARY OF FOOD MOVEMENT COMMEMORATED

A Mammoth Rally Of Determination

Kolkata: August 31, 2009,India News Network (INN): It was a rally of determination – a determination to counter the forces of anarchy and violence running riot in the state of West Bengal targeting the Left Front. As hundreds of thousands of people marched into the heart of Kolkata, the central business district of Esplanade to participate in a Left Front organised mass rally commemorating the 50th anniversary of the martyrs of food movement, one could sense this resolve among the rallyists. It was writ large on their faces.

In the backdrop of Shaheed Minar chowk, these rallyists were not only paying homage to the 80 martyrs who fell at this very place to the brutal lathis of the then Congress government led by B C Roy on this day in 1959, they were also remembering the 276 comrades who were killed by reactionary forces ranging from the ultra left 'Maoist' goons to Trinamuli lumpens to ultra right BJP goons during the period since the seventh Left Front government assumed office in 2006. A two minute silence was observed by the masses in memory of the martyrs.

Family members of these martyrs – some of who were young widows, brothers, mothers, fathers and a few young kids – were prominently seated on both sides of the dais on specially erected platforms. There were also a few among them who were part of that rally in 1959 and who surivived that brutal repression. The dais itself was erected in such a manner that it could be seen, at least partially, from all the six roads leading into and passing the Dorina crossing near Esplanade. This very place was soaked in blood of the 80 martyrs who were part of the 3 lakh strong rally against skyrocketing prices of essential foodgrains on August 31, 1959. The family members of martyrs were honoured by the Left Front chairman Biman Basu at the start of the proceedings. Both the chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and Biman Basu interacted with the family members before the start of the public meeting in a gesture that touched the rallyists.

And as for the strength of the gathering, one could see the crowds as far as the vision permitted, jampacked on all the six roads around the venue. Even after one hour into the public meeting, streams of rallies from Kolkata and North 24 Paraganas districts were still pouring in and there was no space. We watched senior leaders and former MPs leading their contingents from the districts in huge processions. With this rally being the first organised by the Left Front after the Lok Sabha elections, and coming in the wake of murderous assaults on CPI(M) workers/sympathisers, it provided an opportunity to the cadre and supporters of the Left to assert their resistance to the politics of anarchy and terror.

CPI(M) veteran leader Jyoti Basu, who was the leader of opposition during the 1959 events, in a written speech that was read out by Biman Basu, recalled the 'historic mass movement' and said that despite the killings and atrocities of the then Congress government “we did not surrender”. Today also the common people were facing hardships due to skyrocketing prices of essential commodities due to centre's policies. He accused the opposition parties in West Bengal and 'Maoists' of stalling development through anarchy and terror. He called upon Left Front workers to pledge to fight this anarchy and terror and expressed confidence that “people would not bow down to anarchy and would realise who was their friend and who their foe”. Referring to the recent Lok Sabha election results, Basu said “Many people have voted against us. We have to correct our mistakes. We have to bring them back to our fold. We have also to regain their confidence. The people are our hope in difficult times”. Accusing the Trinamul Congress, Congress and 'Maoists' of killing CPI(M) workers, setting their houses and Party offices on fire, Basu said “We have to counter it by mobilising the people. We should not lose confidence on the people”.

Chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee in his speech said that even after 62 years after the British left, our country has not got freedom from hunger. He blamed successive Congress governments for the agrarian crisis and consequently the food crisis. Despite tall talk of 'green revolution', the people do not get square meal a day. The present Congress government at the centre has admitted that 30 crore people in the country go to bed hungry. Even while the food production is declining alarmingly, huge speculation is taking place in forward trading which is resulting in the skyrocketing of prices of essential commodities.. The chief minister attacked the central government for not heeding the Left parties consistent demand to ban this forward trading. He asserted that the Left Front government in Bengal would take all possible steps within its ambit to provide relief to the people from this price rise. He announced that apart from providing rice at Rs 2 per kg, edible oil and sugar would also be supplied through Public Distribution Scheme not only for BPL cardholders but for the entire people, including middle classes in the coming months of festive season. He said it is a difficult task but the Left Front government would undertake it.

Charging the Trinamul and 'Maoists' of trying to create a 'fascist environment' in the state with their politics of terror, murder and intimidation, Buddhadeb asserted that this situation would not be allowed to continue. He said these forces were using the typical fascistic method of trying to create confusion among the poor and middle classes and called upon the poor not to be confused and give in to these fascistic forces. He also appealed to the youth to decide on which side they were – whether on the side of anarchy or the side of progress represented by the Left Front. He called upon the LF workers to take a pledge to move forward with vigour after this mammoth rally.

CPI(M) state secretary and LF chairman Biman Basu in his speech blamed the neo-liberal policies of the central government for the present agrarian and food crises. These policies being pushed by the imperialists needed to be countered through a simultaneous fight against imperialists. He criticised the media for indulging in Goebbelesian propaganda against the Left Front in order to break the unity of the working people. He called upon the cadre to be alert to such nefarious designs. He also called for greater unity among the Left Front in order to take on these challenges.

Leaders of various Left Front constituents also spoke on this occasion. A large contingent of leading intellectuals and artists were present in the meeting.

Kowtowing to imperialists unacceptable to Left: Jyoti Basu

Kolkata, Aug 31 (IANS): Claiming that the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government is “surrendering to the imperialists” and framing policies adversely hitting the poor, Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) patriarch Jyoti Basu Monday said the Left parties will staunchly oppose such moves.“Whatever be the impediments, the Leftists will work in the interest of the workers and the common people. We will never accept the way the central government is surrendering to (the) imperialists,” the nonagenarian Basu said in his written message at a rally organised by West Bengal’s ruling Left Front to commemorate the 50th anniversary of a mass movement against food shortage.

“Due to the policies pursued by the centre, poor people are being adversely hit. Peasants are committing suicide. Food crisis is also escalating in the country,” said Basu, who was chief minister of West Bengal for 23 years from 1977. He stepped down in 2000 for health reasons.
He said prices of essentials, hoarding and black marketing are on the rise, and asserted that the Left parties had built up agitations against the maladies.

“We will never agree to the strategies aimed at dividing the poor,” he said in the missive, read out by Left Front chairman Biman Bose. Attacking the state’s opposition parties and Maoists for stalling development by perpetrating violence and triggering lawlessness, Basu appealed to the Left workers to mobilise the people against such atrocities.

“Work for the people. We should not lose faith in the people, even those who have turned against us. Many have voted against us in the last general election. We have to correct our mistakes. We have to bring these people back to our fold,” the leader said. “I have confidence that the people of our state will never pitch their lot with opportunistic alliances and parties devoid of policies and morals,” said Basu.

Left Front’s massive show of strength in Kolkata

Kolkata, Aug 31 (IANS): After a series of electoral losses, West Bengal’s ruling Left Front Monday sought to enthuse its cadres by organising a huge rally in the city to mark 50 years of a mass movement against food shortages.Held six weeks after Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee-led main opposition Trinamool Congress mobilised lakhs of people in its annual Martyrs’ Day rally, the ruling combine’s show of strength - with claims of nearly 600,000 in attendance - choked traffic in large parts of the city.

The Trinamool’s spectacular performances in the polls to rural and civic bodies, the Lok Sabha and in the assembly by-elections, have cast doubts on whether the ruling Left Front can stretch its marathon stint in power beyond the 2011 state assembly polls.

On top of that, Banerjee’s almost daily announcements of new trains and other railway projects and political statements aimed at weaning away the front’s base have also put the ruling coalition under pressure.

In a written message to the rally, ailing Marxist patriarch Jyoti Basu urged the Left workers to go to the people and regain the confidence of those who have turned against the state government.

“Work for the people. We should not lose faith in the people, even those of our former supporters who have gone against us. We must not think of them as our enemies. We have to bring these people back to our fold,” the nonagenarian Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) leader said in the missive read out by Left Front chairman Biman Bose.

Cautioning the people that canards were being spread dime a dozen against the front, Basu asked the gathering to take a pledge for making a turnaround in the combine’s fortunes. CPI(M) politburo member and Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee appealed to all sections of the people - particularly the youths and students - to thwart the designs of the evil forces.

Bhattacharjee said the Trinamool was killing CPI(M) workers in East Midnapore district, while the Maoists are doing the same in West Midnapore. “The opposition is all smiles. They are enjoying. They feel that the Maoists are doing what they wanted to do in West Midnapore,” he said.

Terming the ‘atrocities’ committed by the Trinamool on CPI(M) cadres in East Midnapore’s Nandigram as fascist, he said: “The Trinamool and the Maoists want to terrorise people. We won’t allow them to go forward. We will march ahead.”

A condolence resolution adopted at the rally claimed that uncountable number of Left workers and supporters had been murdered by “anti-socials” backed by opposition parties like the Congress, the Trinamool and the Maoists since 2006 assembly polls.

“Everyday, our workers are being attacked and killed. Efforts are on to create lawlessness in the state and bring back the landlord classes into power. Through violence, reactionary forces are trying to break poor people’s unity,” said the resolution.

The Left Front leaders also paid homage to those who fell to police firing during the Food Movement which was launched in 1959 when the state was suffering from acute food shortage.The movement reached its peak Aug 31, 1959, when a large number of processions converged into a huge rally in the central part of the city leading to a severe police baton charge.

The Leftists have claimed that 80 people died in police atrocities on that day, but other political parties dispute the figure. The Food Movement was one of the many agitations organised by the Leftists through the 1950s and 1960s to mobilise the masses leading to the installation of two United Front governments in 1967 and 1969 and finally the uninterrupted rule of the Left Front since 1977.

Maoists gun down two CPI(M) men in Bengal

Purulia (WB), Aug 31 (PTI): Two CPI(M) workers were today shot dead by Maoists in Purulia and West Midnapore districts, police said. An active worker of the CPI(M) Debiprosad Hansda (50) was shot dead by armed Maoists on the charge of being corrupt at Bitting Lohar village of Balarampur in Purulia last night, the police said.

Four more CPI(M) workers and leaders, including Latika Hembram, Pradhan of Kepka Ghatber Panchayat Samiti, her husband and two relatives were beaten-up at Amghar and Nandudih villages in Balarampur last night, they said. The party leaders were also told to desert CPI(M) at the earliest, sources said.

The incident comes close on the heels of the killing of a CPI(M) leader and a party worker in Purulia district since Saturday.In West Midnapore district, Maoists today gunned down a CPI(M) leader for allegedly spying for the police at Amjharna jungle near Lalgarh.

Buddhadeb hits out at Centre for rise in prices of essential goods

KOLKATA,31st AUGUST: The country has failed to achieve “freedom from hunger,” though it had attained “political freedom,” West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee said here on Monday.

Mr. Bhattacharjee was addressing a mammoth rally here, organised by the Left Front to mark the 50th anniversary of the “Food Movement” in the State. The Chief Minister slammed the Congress-led government at the Centre for its “failure” to rein in the spiralling prices of essential commodities.

He said, “Through its advertisement messages, the Congress claims that the United Progressive Alliance government is an ‘aam admi ka sarkar.’ But going by its own record, 30 crore people in the country are still going hungry. What sort of an ‘aam admi ka sarkar’ is it then?”

He accused the Centre of allowing private companies to engage in forward trading in essential commodities, thus leading to increase in prices, ignoring the “repeated warnings” by Left parties.
“The Congress made tall claims of ushering in the Green Revolution in the country. But did that ensure enough food for the masses? It did not… why is the food production going down? I would like the Congress-led government to take lessons from the past.”

On the Trinamool Congress’ allegation that the State government was responsible for the price rise, he pointed out that the prices of foodgrains in the city was much cheaper than in Delhi and Mumbai. Terming the Trinamool Congress an “evil power,” he alleged that the Opposition in the State did not speak against the violent activities of the Maoists because of their close links.

“The Opposition is delighted at the violence and terror spread by the Maoists because the rebels are doing what they themselves wanted to achieve… The Maoists are creating havoc in the Paschim Mednipur district, while the Trinamool Congress is doing the same at Nandigram and Khejuri in the Purbo Medinipur district.”

Left Front Committee chairman Biman Bose blamed the Centre for the current food crisis in the country. “I would like the Congress-led government to take lessons from past”

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Fact file about the Historical Food Movement (1959) and Witnesses account

Kolkata, August 28th - On 9th July, 1959 the Bengal Daily “Swadhinata ‘ brought out its historic editorial “ there no other way so struggle is inevitable “ Though in our state there is no apparent scarcity of food grains , still the people of our state is being forced to buy rice at 33 rupees per Mon ( I mon = 37 kg ) ( an abnormally high rate considering the value of a rupee at that when average salary was about Rs 100/ month even for Government officials ) Rationing system is absent in many places of the state. The area’s were food scarcity is high there also there is no rationing system. Farmers are not getting loans. People are dying in scores everywhere. People irrespective of the fact whether they live in villages or towns are living their lives in abject poverty. The present Congress Government is responsible for this- only by creating movements after movement can force the government to change its food policy and adopt some pro people measures.

After the waves of protest and the gory incidences spanning over 9 days where more than 100 people were killed another 100 still untraceable and over 2500 people injured in various incidents as the Government called military to subdue the protests of the Hungry millions of the state on 8 th September , ‘Swadhinata ‘wrote another editorial the movement as a historic mass enlightment for Bengal. And said that more 15000 hungry improvished people has been confiscated by the Congress Government , More than 26 MLA’s belonging to opposition parties of the assemblies were arrested by the Government. Still when the Government by adopting reprissals’ could not subdue the unrest it adopted brutal tactics of killing people in cold blood to stop the movement.

Exerpts from the Swadhinata brings forward the brutality of the congress led Police “ How cruel the attacks of the police can be, how brutal the oppressions can be? Even woman with children in their laps were not spared, the reporters and photographers of Swadhinata had brought forward the repercussions vividly.

The Brutal repercussion of the spontaneous movement of Hungry millions through Witness accounts

Not only the participants,, even common passersby were targeted by the police led by the then Congress led State government. Various tragic tales were brought forward by the fearless journalism of Swadhinata reporters.

Prahalad Chandra Majumdar of Boubazzar, a owner of a jewellery shop showed how Sudhakar Mondal, an employee of his shop was shot with his 4 year old son Megnadh in his lap. Both the father son duo was removed to hospital by the local residents who had defied the police threats to do so. The incident happened on 1st September when the police fearing the mass uprising on the previous day at the streets of Kolkata. Tragically, when the reporters of a daily arrived at the spot where the father son duo was shot -the youngest son of Sudhakar Mondal showed the blood marks and told “ See theses are the Blood stains of my father and brother.

Dipak Dutta ,then the 7 year old son of a prominent chemist Dr Biren Dutta , D.Phil , had gone out with his family to a Cinema Hall in Central Kolkata . While his entire family was returning to his home on foot , he being the youngest of the lot and his grandfather Chunilal Dutta a Retd. Instructor of Chemistry of Bidyasagar College in Kolkata was returning in a hand held Richshaw . Suddenly a police van came and started a shooting spree killing the his grandfather and injuring young Dipak in his foot.

That day on 5th September 1959, more the maternal uncle of famous actor Shishir Kumar Bhaduri also lost his life. His name was Fanindrakishore Acharya , a scholar in his own right . Tara Bhaduri brother of Shisir Bhaduri and nicknamed as Natyacharya told that Mischief has been done and shunned all trophies that he had received from the Government.

Tales of a Gouri Bhhattacharya , a nurse, who received Bullet wounds and Pushpa a farmer who had come with his son in his lap, lost his son and the Police forced upon her their bayonets and the batons . Gouri – the nurse received bullet wounds.

Shantimoy Bhattacharya , now secretary of CPI(M) South 24 pargans’ district committee and then a youth gave vivid description of how the police lathicharged helpless young people lying on the ground and battered their heads with batons . He himself also received head wounds . many peasants and his co rallyists was tormented to death by the police that day .

Infact, a room of the Shambhunath Pandit hospital in surgical ward came to be known as ‘Bullet Room’ as the Swadhinata news reporter gave an elaborate description of the inmates of the hospital who received Bullet injury that year. They were Ranjit Kumar acharya (14) a school student, Nirmalendu Brahmachary(36) a monk of Ramkrishna Mission ,Shailendranath Ghosh 22( a young worker ) . Police sentries were posted before the bed of Dilip Chatterjee 3rd year student of Charuchandra College and Bijoyprasad Choudhury Commerce student who too was injured with Bullet wounds. Many others were also lined up.

The Movement

On July 1959the price of the rice touched Rs 87.5 per quintal, Bengal rose in revolt. In 15th August the in the press note of the Government again the Congress Government tried to shield the Hoarders and the Black marketers again On 20Th July the second pat of the movement started – the first part being started from 14th July . . in this phase the movement committee called for Civil disobedience in every District headquarters including Kolkata . Rallies were conducted towards every state government departments and on 3rd September general strike was to be observed. On 31st August over 3 lakhs of people gathered in the Maidan of Kolkata. When they were marching towards the Government Departments police wielded their batons and not sparing the peasant women’s also. According to reports of Swadhinata daily that day, 80 lives were crushed under the police baton that day. First although the Government refuted to accept the number of Dead but later the Government also accepted the facts – which pointed out that 80people were killed and 3000 people were injured while 100 people were untraceable. Total arrests were 21000 that day.

"Drenched in the blood of the Hero’s, Bengal has risen again”

Next day the whole students’ community called students’ strike in the entire state. After observing the strike the Student conducted rally towards the home of the then Chief Minister. A group of Student volunteers cordoned of the CM’s house showing discipline and so that no untoward incident happens. They shouted slogans saying ‘Drenched in the blood of the Hero’s, Bengal has risen again.”

After the front of the procession crossed the CM’s House police again lathicharged the students and this time showered them with bullets also . That day 7 students lost their life while 1000 students were injured in the clash and Triguna Sen the vice Chancellor of Jadavpore University hoisted Black Flag in protest against the Killing of the Students. On 3rd September General strike was observed and on that day even in separate incidents Police opened fire in 17 places of Kolkata , 8 places in 24 Pargana’s and in places in Howrah district .

The wanton violence showered by the administration had stunned the entire state and the intellegesia.

Outrage in the state Assembly

A no confidence Motion against the brutal Congress regime and its misadventure aimed in suppressing the hunger of the scantily dressed Mass of Bengal under the weight of the Police baton and showering them with Bullets , was brought by Jyoti Basu , leader of the opposition, Hemanta Basu (Forward Bloc) Ram Chatterjee (Marxist Forward Bloc ) Jatin Chakraborty (RSP ) and others.

Notice of an adjournment motion was also given stating “ Wanton, inhuman and unprovoked orgy of Violence Let loose by the police through Indiscriminate lathi Charges, tear gassing and firing and perpetration of unparalleled barbarities against Men, women and Children in almost all the districts of west Bengal , particularly in Calcutta, Howrah and certain area’s of 24 Parganas ‘ during August and September of this year ,resulting in the death of 80 people , maiming of scores, wounding thousands, innumerable arrests and lack of information with regard to a large number of persons missing since August 31st , 1959. “Describing the assembly session the reporter of the New Age daily reported “ The mounting hatred and indignation of the people against the diabolical savageries committed by Dr BC Roy’s Government Exploded on the floor of the West Bengal assembly when it met at 3 PM on September 21’'.

He goes on describing the session “ it was the stormiest session ever witnessed in the house as 25000 people were demonstrating outside , having been held up the Police about 500 yards From the assembly , The opposition Members except the PSP made it perfectly clear that the Government would have to answer for the mass killing and wounding of peaceful Citizens.

When I reached the assembly at about 2.30PM it was unmistakably evident that the atmosphere was one of the calm before the Storm. A scene of seen expectancy was in the Air and the Public galleries which have permanent seating accommodation for 181 were already occupied by over 400 people. The press gallery too was packed beyond capacity.’

AK Gopalan, Bhupesh Gupta Mohammamad Illiash, Aurobinda Ghosal, Tridib Choudhury and BT Ranadive watched the proceedings from the Governor’s gallery.

All the members of the opposition except the PSP entered the assembly Chamber wearing Black Badges bearing the inscription “In memory of the Martyrs "

‘As soon as the deputy speaker took his seat Jyoti Basu, leader of the opposition got up and proposed that All section in the house should pay homage to the martyrs by standing up and observing one minutes silence . The members of the party’s constituting the PIFRC ( Thre Joint platform of the food movement comprising the communists and the Leftist parties ) stood up. Both the Congress and the PSP and the Congress and the PSP refused to show respect to the dead. The people will remember this insult to their members.” wrote the reporter of the New Age in his daily .

In a moving and powerful speech Jyoti Basu started that Inspite of all the pre planned government Brutality, the people of West Bengal have bowed their heads but taken up the challenge exposing the government game and the terrible toll of lives and sufferings . He hit out the police Minister Kalipada Mukherjee is a big Goonda and DR Roy is a cowardly Goonda. Insisting on a public enquiry he recalled the editorials of the late Satyendranath Majumdar (one of the Bengal greatest journalists during the earlier tram fare increase resistance Movement (1956), when also the Government had tried terror this great Editor had called PC Se and Kalipada Mukherjee has having’ put their mothers to shame’ and as the ‘unnatural offspring of imperialism’.

Jyoti Basu said that these words exactly described the present ministry .

Under the auspicious of the PIFRC 25000 people assembled at the Calcutta Maidan on the same day . Headed by the leaders, amass deputation then went towards the assembly buildings but a big police cordon held it up. The deputation then squatted on the Road.

They anxiously waited for the opposition members to narrate to them , wat had happened in the house on the food issue and when the members arrived they were greeted with tremendous cheers. Among those who addressed the deputation were AK Gopalan , Bhupesh Gupta , Jyoti Basu, Ranen Sen Mohammad Illiyash Hemanta Basu ( Forward Block , Jatin Chakraborty ( RSP ) Chitta Basu ( Forward Bloc ) and Tridib Choudhury ( RSP ), Jyoti Basu had remarked that in 1943 hearing of the devastating famine of the Bengal in 1943 Jawaharlal Nehru had reported that so many people died without protesting , this time Jawaharlal ( the then Prime Minister ) cannot make this complain . People of Bengal have wiped out that allegation, this time they have fought till they are dead.

Food Movement of Bengal (1959)

Role of the Congress in forcefully suppressing the movement and the current policies of the Union government leading again to a food crisis

On the 50th anniversary of the Historical food Movement the country once again as the state of West Bengal nee’ the whole country is looking at the glimpses of the brave fighters and the martyrs of the Historical Food Movement of West Bengal in 1959 where thousands of farmers and workers of mills and common man came to open roads demanded the right to food and demanded for food to Government of the Independent India and the then Congress led State government of West Bengal . Tragically enough the government of the free India and the Then Congress led State Government had wielded their mighty Batons on the unarmed Man and Woman - mostly scantily dressed – Killing about 80 people under the weight of their batons on the 31st July of 1959. Lakhs of people w ho had come to Kolkata demanding Food had received batons instead . On the next few days too, the tyranny of the Congress led Government was at its best – Bullets were showered on unarmed protests taking the tally to even a higher shale.-waves of students protests , workers’ protest hit the streets of Kolkata and the districts . The tally of the dead was more than 100 on the first few days . About another 80people was untraceable and remains so after 50years of the movement .

In his speech in the assembly after the mass killings of Food movement activists on the streets of Kolkata on 21st September in the first session of the assembly after the incident , Communist Leader Jyoti Basu had told in the assembly in his Historical speech “ You have imprisoned more than 17000 people in the prison- when U had accused of violence fact proves that on the incident not a Single policeman received wounds while your baton has claimed many lives. He had told “ We had given the call to the people to conduct movement in a peaceful manner- to stall work adhering to the principles of peace – to fill up your jails in order to share the sorrows of all suffering man and woman – he had rightfully pointed out that on that day the lorries of Food department were used to ferry police to launch attack on the Hungry civilians - Equating the massacre and the attitude of the Congress led Police with that of the Jalianwalabag Massacre he had told of incidences of a body of woman in a crematorium being cremated by the police on questioning the police had retorted that they have retrieved the body from aroad. He had given vivid description of the police’s killing lathicharged on the helpless scantily dressed woman and had asked the essential question to the state government ‘ If u yourself had witnessed the ferocious attack of the police on the scantily dressed woman and the students wont you have resisted- If u are not a coward if Blood flows through your’ veins u too would resist the ferociousness of the police and on that we would have congratulated you '.

The role of the Congress Led Government in augmenting the Food crisis in favour of the millioneers and hoarders had been further highlighted when on 28th august ,1959 the then chief Minister of west Bengal congress leader Bidhan Chandra Roy had remarked that ‘ The Real hoarders were not the traders or the millers but the producers - big and small. It was aclear attempt to defend the ruling class of India and absolving them of the responsibility of the severe food shortage and the famine like improvised conditions then prevailing in Bengal. The Government till the had not forbade hoarding of Rice in Bengal and had allowed individuals to Hoard up to 120 quintals of Rice .

Infact the class characteristics of the Congress led Union government was exposed when the then Deputy minister of Foods of the Union Government Mr. Thomas drew the attention of the state administration to take remedial measures about the act of one Sub divisional officer of Contai who embarking on an anti hording campaign had sealed the godowns of Influential persons of the area and the many Congress MLA’s had complained about the same to the administration against the move of the SDO. Later it was found out that the amongst those whose Godowns were sealed there were prominent Congress Leaders of the district Including Charu Mohanty , a deputy Minister of the state cabinet, The District president of the Medinipore district Congress, Rashbehari Pal and Satishchandra Jana a close aide of the then Chief Minister of West Bengal BC Roy . So while the Congress Government tried to absolve the big fishes of hoarding they tried falsely to implicate the farmers whose bare fields at that time had made them line up in the processions of Hungry persons and had tried to change the focus of world towards false facts.

The then General Secretary of AIKS, Harekrishna Konar , had on 6 th September 2009, had in an article written in the Swadhinata Daily , and had warned the Government that by using Brutal repressals as a force to contain the spontaneous movement of Hungry people wont’ be subdued rather it would known as an anti democratic tirade of the Government. By drawing batons’ , bursting tera gas shells and showering them with bullets and imprisoning them -the common people of the state cannot be subdued . This measures for the time being can shield the profiteers and the hoarders , the ultimate boss of the government, but on the long run due the people’s protest they with their bosses will be reduced to ashes. This word of Com Harekrishna Konar has later hold to be true as after 1977 , by the land reforms the Left front government had replaced the autocratic Junta of the Congress rule. Harekrishna Konar at that time had said the’ The dictates of the History is always True and not only in the interests of the farmers and nation’s people - but also for your own good ( he advised the government ) relieve yourself from taking the anti people measures . At the same time he called upon the people to rise in protest and chain the power hungry rulers and their violent abnormalities’.

Mentionable that at that time the first Communist led and democratically elected Government of Kerala led by EMS Namboodripaad had been sacked at the order of a pen and Jawaharlal Nehru the then Prime Minister of India and the then Chief Minister Of West Bengal BC Roy had referred the food movement as a ploy of the Communists and had told commented about the copmunists in Kerala and west Bengal. On this, Harekrishna Konar, the fire brand secretary of AIKS had retorted back ‘The Chief Minister is trying to undermine the anti hording people’s movement is ablunt manner . He even has dared to give examples from Kerala. Dr Roy should know that though in Kerala there is more than 50% Food shortage still the congress Union Government has not extended any help towards that Communist led Government still the communist Government in Kerala has effective controlled the rates of Rice within 25 -26 Rs per quintal . Where as in the case of West Bengal though there was a 25% shortage and the Union Government supplied rice in excess of that shortage to the Bengal government still due to callousness of the Government the Price of Rice is hovering more than 30 Rupees and out of the range of the common people . Shame on the Government ‘.

Lessons from the movement and the condition now

Currently, price rise of essential items has affected not only West Bengal. But the entire country. Price of all the essential items has sky rocketed compared with the situation in 2008 and 2009 the price of rice, pulses and vegetables has increased by over 50%. All these can be attributed to Hoarding and forward trading by which the agricultural traders of the country and that of foreign countries has increased and according to the Forward market commission the regulatory body of the country the total value of the forward trading in the country was pegged at Rs 2.2288.06 crores at the month of June 2007 only . In next year June that is in 2008 june the amount has increased to 15,64,114.96 ie. a 7 times increase in the amount. On the on the Human Development Index the Country is at 66 th position out of the 88 developing countries of the world. Even Suda ranks before us. Still the farmers of the Country are committing suicides and the farmers of the countries and the country in the current year are under the spell of a severe drought.

Though more 11 farmers have committed suicides in Andhra Pradesh in the last 40 days still the central government has not included Andhra within the Draught prone states’ name . The fact points out to the social condition of the shining India where farmers are committing suicides due excessive loans on their head. AIKS Leader and CPI(M) Central committee member Madan Ghost has raised this question currently also. Even the Chamber of Commerces’ are telling that the country is suffering from tremendous malnutrition as per head consumption of Pulses has come down to 11 kgs from 27 kgs’ in the Country . While in the godown of the Central government more 3 crores 23 lakh tones of rice and 2 crore 53 lakh tones of wheats are stagnated which is sufficient to feed the hungry mouths of the country for 13 months at astretch. This is happening due to lack of purchasing power of the people as about 77% of the country’s population earns less than Rs 20 per day or less according to reports of the Central government Itself. Well known economist Prabhat Patnayak too has expressed apprehension that after the world wide recession , as part of the global economic system will face severe food shortage Price Hike ad Inflation in the coming days .

CPI (M) objects to Railways’ advertisement

KOLKATA, 24th August: The Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Monday objected to an advertisement by Indian Railways announcing one of its schemes with graphics of the Trinamool Congress election symbol and demanded its withdrawal.

In a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the CPI (M) Parliamentary Party leader Sitaram Yechury said he was aghast to see the graphics in the half-page advertisement that appeared in all major national dailies, announcing the scheme of free monthly season tickets for students.

“Surely you will agree that this is a brazen attempt at utilising government funds for promoting the political interests of a particular party which happens to be a member of the ruling coalition under your leadership,” he said. Mr. Yechury requested the Prime Minister to ensure that such advertisements were withdrawn and that he also issue necessary instructions to all government departments not to promote the partisan interests of any political party at the expense of public money.

Full text of the letter of Sitaram Yechury :

**************

Dear Shri Manmohan Singhji,

I am writing to you with reference to a half a page advertisement appearing today in all major national dailies by the Indian Railways announcing its scheme of free monthly season tickets to students. This advertisement also carries your photograph.

I was aghast to see the graphics in the advertisement that are alluding to the election symbol of the Trinamul Congress.Surely you will agree that this is a brazen effort at utilising governmental funds for promoting the political interests of a particular party which happens to be a member of the ruling coalition under your leadership.

I am requesting you to kindly ensure that such advertisements are withdrawn and necessary instructions are issued to all government departments to not promote the partisan interests of any political party at the expense of public monies.

With regards,

Yours sincerely

Sd/

(Sitaram Yechury)

Mamata, entrepreneur take over at Kolkata TV

Backed by the Trinamool Congress and Kolkata-based entrepreneur Kaustuv Ray, the channel is now being run by its 171 employees, while SST Media’s founder and former MD Tathagata Dutta is struggling to secure his personal assets from being seized by lenders

Aniek Paul and Aveek Datta

Posted at LIVEMINT: Tue, Aug 25 2009. 12:32 AM IST

Kolkata: In a move reminiscent of jute mill takeovers, Union rail minister Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress—West Bengal’s main opposition party—has wrested control of Kolkata TV, which until May was among the most watched Bengali television news channels, without buying a single share of SST Media Pvt. Ltd, the firm behind the channel.

Backed by the Trinamool Congress and young Kolkata-based entrepreneur Kaustuv Ray, the channel is now being run by its 171 employees, while SST Media’s founder and former managing director Tathagata Dutta is struggling to secure his personal assets from being seized by lenders. SST Media is currently facing liquidation proceedings at the Calcutta high court.

In January 2008, Hyderabad-based Associated Broadcasting Co. Pvt. Ltd, which runs TV9 news channels in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Gujarat and Mumbai, had acquired a 51% stake in SST Media for Rs16 crore. Associated Broadcasting had paid a premium of Rs3.55 on the face value of SST Media’s shares and had acquired them for Rs13.55 each.

Dutta held 49%, but as part of the same deal, pledged 35% of SST Media’s shares with Associated Broadcasting to borrow Rs9.12 crore, which has not been repaid. Effectively, the Hyderabad-based firm has so far invested Rs25.12 crore in SST Media for an 86% stake.

The channel went aground because “it couldn’t generate enough revenues”, said Dutta. Kolkata TV’s operating expenditure was Rs1.7-1.8 crore a month, and at least one-third of it was the cost of distributing the channel through cable operators. “But in terms of audience, we were pretty much on top—No. 1 among Bengali news channels for a long time,” Dutta said.

Persuaded by the Trinamool Congress, Ray, whose RP Group manufactures computers and produces television software, emerged as the white knight. In June, it offered to buy the shares held by Associated Broadcasting. But after several rounds of discussions, talks fell through because they couldn’t agree on a price.

“Ray offered Rs5 crore for Associated Broadcasting’s shares,” said a Kolkata TV employee who spoke on condition of anonymity. “But it seems they want more…they claim they have some more offers.”

When contacted, Ray said Kolkata TV is a tenant of one of his firms. He bought in June the Park Street office out of which Kolkata TV operates. “We had signed an agreement to buy that space (7,500-8,000 sq. ft) in October last year. The deal was closed recently.”

Asked specifically if he was keen to acquire equity interest in SST Media, Ray added: “We have been supplying software to Kolkata TV and many other channels such as ETV Bangla, Zee Bangla, NE Bangla and Doordarshan. I cannot offer further comments because the matter is sub judice.”

“We are currently exploring various options available before us and we are yet to take a decision on selling our stake in Kolkata TV,” said M.K.V.N. Murthy, chief financial officer of Associated Broadcasting. “The situation is still very fluid.” Associated Broadcasting is the brainchild of Srini Raju, brother-in-law of Satyam Computer Services Ltd’s founder B. Ramalinga Raju. Srini Raju served on the board of Satyam till 2000, when he quit to focus on his own interests, venture funding and media.

In the first week of May, Kolkata TV went off air, following which its employees approached Banerjee for help. By then, liquidation proceedings had already started and Associated Broadcasting’s representatives had stepped down from SST Media’s board. Kolkata TV had also stopped paying salaries to its employees.

“When Kolkata TV’s employees approached our leader (Mamata Banerjee), she gave me the responsibility to find a solution,” said Sovan Chatterjee, a Trinamool Congress leader. “We are working in the interest of Kolkata TV’s employees and vendors, who are to receive a lot of money from the company.”

Confirming that he was the person who persuaded Ray to take interest in Kolkata TV, Chatterjee added, “We are grateful to Kaustuv and his RP Group for paying the salaries of 171 employees in July, and it is our commitment to them that they are going to receive their salaries every month from now on.” Chatterjee, however, claimed the Trinamool Congress had no plan to “usurp the channel”.

The channel is being run by its employees under an order of the Calcutta high court, while Ray is trying to take possession of Kolkata TV’s assets, according to the channel’s employee mentioned in the first instance. “He already owns the office, and is currently in discussion with lenders who have seized the cameras, editing devices and OB (outdoor broadcast) vans. If he manages to acquire these assets, he will have complete control over the assets of the channel.”

Ray, however, may yet need to acquire Associated Broadcasting’s and Dutta’s shares in the channel to retain Kolkata TV’s licences, he added. “Dutta has given up and is willing to transfer his 14% stake to anyone who would absolve him of liabilities—his home is mortgaged to State Bank, which had lent Rs4 crore to the company (SST Media).”

Ray’s principal money spinner is his computer manufacturing business. His RP Infosystems Pvt. Ltd, which sells PCs under the Chirag brand, had a turnover of Rs563 crore and a net profit of Rs29 crore in fiscal 2009. A sports enthusiast, Ray, who is in his mid-30s, owns a football club called Chirag United. It plays in the premier division of the Calcutta Football League. He is also the first Hindu president of the Mohammedan Sporting Club—one of the leading football clubs in Kolkata.

Interestingly, Dutta made his money from computers, too. He and a partner were the promoters of Xenitis Infotech Ltd, which sold low-cost PCs under the brand name Amar PC in West Bengal, Apna PC in North India, and Amchi PC in Maharashtra. The duo started the channel in March 2006, but soon split and Dutta ended up with Kolkata TV.

SST Media’s total liabilities are around Rs70 crore, according to an internal note that has been reviewed by Mint. It borrowed from three banks—UCO Bank, Bank of India and State Bank of India—some Rs28.33 crore. It owes vendors Rs21.45 crore, and employees, Rs2.5 crore.

The happenings at Kolkata TV are a throwback to jute mill takeovers through so-called managing agents; in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, scores of embattled jute mills in West Bengal were taken over in a similar manner. While owners fought cases to secure assets from being seized by lenders and statutory authorities, rival groups hijacked operations through court-appointed managing agents with the support of political bigwigs and employees, who for the sake of their livelihood would do anything to keep the mills running.

The phenomenon of political parties directly or indirectly running television channels is common in south India. SunTV Network, which runs a bouquet of channels in several south Indian languages, including Tamil, is promoted by the Maran family, closely related to the family of M. Karunanidhi, the patriarch of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and Tamil Nadu chief minister.

“As long as I was responsible for the editorial content of Kolkata TV as its chief editor, I made sure that we were completely unbiased,” said Dutta. “However, I have lost control and hence cannot comment on what is going to happen in the future.”

There are now four 24-hour Bengali television news channels—Star Ananda, 24 Ghanta, Channel 10 and NE Bangla—besides Kolkata TV. The “takeover” of Kolkata TV by the Trinamool Congress gains significance in the light of the forthcoming assembly election in West Bengal, scheduled for the summer of 2011.

Incidentally, Ray was an activist of the Students’ Federation of India—an organization linked to the Communist Party of India (Marxist)—when he was a student of economics at Kolkata’s Jadavpur University.

aniek.p@livemint.com
C.R. Sukumar contributed to this story.
Illustrations by Jayachandran / Mint

DHR 128th anniv plans roll out

SILIGURI, 24 AUG: The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway is observing its 128th anniversary in collaboration with the North Bengal Science Centre through a slew of programmes including a photo exhibition showcasing the spectacular history of the toy train, now included amongst the Unesco world heritage sites. The postmaster general, North Bengal and Sikkim region, Mr Lalhluna, inaugurated the week-long exhibition being held on the NBSC premises. The joint director, tourism, West Bengal government, Mr Gopal Lama, the principal, Siliguri Institute of Technology, Mr S Dasgupta, the project co- coordinator, NBSC, Mr Rajib Nath and the director, DHR, Mr Subrata Nath were present. According to the DHR director, this year's programmes were kept low key in view of the indefinite postponement of the heritage service between New Jalpaiguri and Kurseong due to lanslides along the tracks. “We would celebrate the anniversary in a befitting manner in future,” Mr Subrata Nath said. Referring the frequent landslides in the hills, an octogenarian ex- DHR employee, Mr D B Thapa, who was felicitated on the occasion, issued a note of caution. “The unimpeded traffic flow involving heavy vehicles along the fragile hills might bring about natural calamities of grimmer magnitude in future. Those who love the hills must come forward to checkmate the unhindered vehicular movement to avoid a catastrophe,” Mr Thapa commented.

'Putting Victims on Par with Killers is Painful'

LEFT FRONT ON GOVERNOR'S STATEMENT

KOLKATA,7th AUGUST: The Bengal Left Front committee has issued the following statement on August 7, 2009:

THE press statement dated August 6, 2009, released on behalf of the governor of West Bengal and duly signed by him has pained and compelled us to respond to his reactions. While sharing the grief expressed by him we attract his kind attention to the fact that the political violence mentioned in the statement started before the elections to the 15th Lok Sabha and was targeted against CPI(M) in particular and Left Front in general. So far 74 CPI(M), 2 Forward Bloc workers, 4 JKP (Naren Hansda) supporters, 2 villagers and 3 polling personals were killed since declaration of the elections, notwithstanding 103 CPI(M) workers killed during the last one year (since September 1, 2008). The self styled Maoists take pride in openly claiming their ownership of most of these ghastly murders and their attempt to kill the chief minister of the state. We have no knowledge of any public statement released from Raj Bhavan on such occasions.

By asking “when the leading political formations of West Bengal have the same objective, why should violence not abate?” and arriving at a conclusion that he believes “those who can act, are not doing so,” leaves no distinction between the killers and the killed. The perceptive Indian mentioned in the statement would not have missed this difference and that probably explains why the statement is shy of taking his name. The role of some union ministers of the Trinamul Congress in encouraging this ‘tandava’ has been amply explained in the memorandum submitted by a delegation of Left Front MLAs to the governor of West Bengal. We are not aware if the honourable governor has sent any report to the union government on the involvements of these union ministers in this matter.

We would humbly like to submit that the constitutional head of the state should exhibit more apparent neutrality while making statement in public. If worship of force in all its forms has to be eradicated, the way highest office of the state behaves should also call for a meaningful change.