Thursday, January 26, 2012

Mamata Banerjee woos Manipur voters on her maiden visit!'Trinamool will remove AFSPA if it comes to power'!Mamata’s grand plans may spell doom for beaches as SUICIDE becomes VIRAL. 258 Tramway employees Declared Illegal, NOT Getting Salary for Three

Mamata Banerjee woos Manipur voters on her maiden visit!'Trinamool will remove AFSPA if it comes to power'!Mamata's grand plans may spell doom for beaches  as SUICIDE becomes VIRAL. 258 Tramway employees Declared Illegal, NOT Getting Salary for Three Months, One of the committs Suicide.While Mamata Meets Irom Sharmila In Manipur and turns VAISHNAVI citing HARE Rama Hare Krishna to WOO Voters in Manipur.New BPL list survey to start this month!


Not only the death of Children in Bengal Hospitals, Detahs in rural Peasantry and Tea gardens may not deter the Government of MAA MATI Manush. Ananad Bazaar Patrika last day highlighted  a TRIBAL Image of Mamata Banerjee, the Brahamin Kanya with her Matua Incarnation! The Organised sector is alos feeling the stings of PORIBORTAN!

Dreams die young in horror hospital where 37 children have died in less than a week
Medha Patekar assaulted after accident

18-year-old paraded semi-naked

Congress accuses Trinamool Congress of mapping pre-poll pact with NPF.Kim denies MPCC chief fires integrity salvo!

Indian Holocaust My Father`s Life and

Time - SEVEN HUNDRED NINETY Three

Palash Biswas

http://indianliberationnews.com/

http://indianholocaustmyfatherslifeandtime.blogspot.com/

http://basantipurtimes.blogspot.com/



Mamata meets Irom Sharmila
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, January 25, 2012: In her short maiden visit to the state of Manipur in connection with the State Assembly election, Mamata Banerjee has met Irom Chanu Sharmila, who has been on fast for the last 11 years demanding removal of AFSPA.


During meeting with Sharmila today at JNIMS, Mamata Banerjee expressed that the problems faced by the people of the state under the Army Act can only be brought to an end if there is good governance in the state and said that Army rule cannot bring peace, development is the answer.


If the Trinamool Congress comes to power in the state, all draconian laws in the state will be removed.


It is really disheartening and felt amaze at the way Irom Chanu Sharmila is being treated, forced feeding her in the hospital, Mamata observed.


She further said that she would take up all necessary steps to bring up the issue at the national level and discussed it with the centre.


Acknowledging the will power of Sharmila, she also said that she feels proud to be born as a woman and assured Sharmila that she would give all possible help in supporting her agitation.


Mamata Banerjee woos Manipur voters on her maiden visit!

'Trinamool will remove AFSPA if it comes to power'!Trinamool Congress leader and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has assured the people of the State that the controversial AFSPA will be repealed if her party is elected to power in the coming State Assembly election.

Leader of Trinamool Congress Mamata Banerjee, in her maiden visit to the state, wooed the voters with the promise of removing the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), 1958, from the state if the party comes to power.

Congress accuses Trinamool Congress of mapping pre-poll pact with NPF.Kim denies MPCC chief fires integrity salvo!

Mamata's grand plans may spell doom for beaches  as SUICIDE becomes VIRAL. 258 Tramway employees Declared Illegal, NOT Getting Salary for Three Months, One of the committs Suicide.While Mamata Meets Irom Sharmila In Manipur and turns VAISHNAVI citing HARE Rama Hare Krishna to WOO Voters in Manipur


The draft state action plan on climate change, compiled by various state departments and agencies, has proven the chief minister Miss Mamata Banerjee, who at the Beach Festival recently declared her grand tourism plans for Mandarmani and Sankarpur beaches, environmentally incorrect, so to speak.

Not only the death of Children in Bengal Hospitals, Detahs in rural Peasantry and Tea gardens may not deter the Government of MAA MATI Manush. Ananad Bazaar Patrika last day highlighted  a TRIBAL Image of Mamata Banerjee, the Brahamin Kanya with her Matua Incarnation! The Organised sector is alos feeling the stings of PORIBORTAN!

Denying charges by the Opposition, the West Bengal government today ruled out any starvation deaths at a closed tea garden of north Bengal's Dooars region. "The allegation of four starvation deaths from Dheklapara is not true. The reports I received from my minister of state, senior officials and the district magistrate doesn't reflect any truth in the allegations," Labour Minister Purnendu Bose told reporters. "Such an allegation is politically motivated. We are opposed to it. Politics on death can't be accepted, rather we condemn it," Bose said stating that the state government is regularly releasing financial assistance to the workers of Dheklapara tea garden. "Reliefs are also being distributed among the affected family on a regular basis in the tea garden, which is under the process of liquidation," he said. The state government has rather taken all steps to prevent starvation deaths in closed tea gardens and similar such areas, besides providing the workers and their family members with medical facilities, the minister said. On allegation of nine deaths in one month, he said that evidences of deaths were not found in three cases while cause of death in six cases was found to be various physical ailments and not starvation.

Full coverage

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Mamata dashes to meet Sharmila, pledges total removal of AFSPA

KanglaOnline - ‎6 hours ago‎

IMPHAL, Jan 25: The Chief Minister of West Bengal and Chairperson of the All India Trinamool Congress, Mamata Banerjee made a whirlwind stop at Imphal today meeting Irom Sharmila and then addressing a public meeting at Patsoi. Right after touching down ...

Mamata appreciates struggle, Sharmila asks her what else

Indian Express - ‎15 hours ago‎

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday paid a surprise visit to Irom Sharmila, the symbol of Manipur's struggle against the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act. But after she had expressed her appreciation for the struggle, she was taken ...

I want Manipur to smile: Mamata

Times of India - ‎10 hours ago‎

IMPHAL: West Bengal chief minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday met Manipur's 'Iron lady' Irom Sharmila Chanu and promised her that if Trinamool Congress (TMC) comes to power in the state, the Armed Forces (Special Powers) ...

Manipur: Mamata meets Irom, slams AFPSA

indiablooms - ‎22 hours ago‎

On an election campaign visit to Manipur, Mamata said if elected to power in the state, she would ensure that there is no consent from her side to the draconian AFPSA in the state. "I had a talk with Irom Sharmila," she told an election rally after ...

Iron ladies meet, find common cause

Times of India - ‎7 hours ago‎

IMPHAL: Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee took poll-bound Manipur by storm on Wednesday during a two-and-ahalf hour trip, which she began with a visit to Irom SharmilaChanu and a promise to lift the "draconian" Armed Forces Special Powers Act ...

CM meets Sharmila

Calcutta Telegraph - ‎10 hours ago‎

25: Mamata Banerjee today met Irom Sharmila Chanu, who has spent 11 years fasting to force Delhi to lift the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act from Manipur, and expressed "appreciation" for her protest. "Only appreciation?" asked Sharmila, who is being ...

Irom Sharmila slams 'shameless' politicians

Times of India - ‎11 hours ago‎

IMPHAL: Irom Sharmila Chanu termed politicians as "shameless people" minutes before she was produced at the court of judicial magistrate first class (Imphal East) on Wednesday morning. Sharmila, who completed the eleventh year of fasting in protest ...

Mamata in Manipur Election rally: We will not allow army rule

isikkim - ‎49 minutes ago‎

"I had a talk with Irom Sharmila, the Iron Lady of Manipur," she told the rally and promised that if TMC comes to power in Manipur, the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) will be withdrawn. "If TMC comes to power, I can assure you, we will fight ...

Give us a chance and we'll throw out AFSPA, Mamata tells Manipur

The Hindu - ‎12 hours ago‎

"I met Ms Irom Sharmila [who has been on a hunger strike for 11 years seeking repeal of the AFSPA]. She told me that the AFSPA is draconian law. If TMC comes to power, I can assure [you], we will fight. We will not give consent for continuance of the ...

Mamata Banerjee woos Manipur voters on her maiden visit

E-Pao.net - ‎4 hours ago‎

Imphal, January 25, 2012: Leader of Trinamool Congress Mamata Banerjee, in her maiden visit to the state, wooed the voters with the promise of removing the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), 1958, from the state if the party comes to power.

Mamata promises scrapping of AFSPA

Assam Tribune - ‎13 hours ago‎

The former Union Railway Minister during her brief campaign trail here met Irom Chanu Sharmilaat the security ward of the JNIMS hospital here and expressed that she recognised her struggle.Mamata was accompanied in her visit by Union Shipping ...

Mamata's open threat to Congress

Times Now.tv - ‎5 hours ago‎

Her party's equation with allies - the Congress - has not been on the best of terms in West Bengal of late - first the row over renaming of an iconic building in Kolkata and now in poll ready Manipur -Mamata Banerjee locking horns with the ruling ...

TC would recommend removal of AFSPA from Manipur: Mamata

IBNLive.com - ‎16 hours ago‎

PTI | 10:01 PM,Jan 25,2012 Imphal, Jan 25 (PTI) Trinamool Congress chief Mama's Banerjee today said her party would recommend removal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) from Manipur if it is voted to power in the poll-bound state.

Fight on all fronts, but Trinamool is missing in action

Hindustan Times - ‎13 hours ago‎

But the maverick Mamata Banerejee - chief of Trinamool Congress - has also kept most of her party's central ministers in dark about their role in the party's poll campaign. cabinet minister and six MoS in the UPA, is fighting elections alone in UP, ...

TMC vs Cong in Manipur

Times of India - ‎Jan 22, 2012‎

IMPHAL: Trinamool Congress chief and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee will address a public meeting at Langjing Achouba ground near a CRPF camp here on Wednesday . In the 60-seat Manipur assembly, the party fielded 47 candidates, ...

Congress faces tough test in upcoming Manipur polls

gulfnews.com - ‎13 hours ago‎

Social activist Irom Sharmila has been on a hunger strike (she is being forcefed through her nose) for over 10 years demanding the repealing of the act. Her fast started after Assam Rifles personnel killed 10 people in an encounter with unknown ...

Trinamool to contest 48 seats in Manipur

The Hindu - ‎Jan 23, 2012‎

He said that party chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee would campaign for party candidates in Manipur. She would address a meeting in Imphal on January 25. Mr. Roy who would accompany Ms. Banerjee in the campaigning said that the party ...




In her first ever visit to Manipur, Mamata Banerjee addressed a public meeting at Langjing Achouba Ground, Imphal West in connection with the coming Manipur State Assembly Election.

She spent just a few hours in Imphal before leaving for Kolkata.

She was accompanied by Mukul Roy, General Secretary, Trinamool Congress and KD Singh, North East in-charge, Trinamool Congress.

Speaking at the public meeting, Mamata Banerjee said that Manipur is in a state of turmoil and the people are suffering.

Describing the situation as grave, she blamed the negligence on economic and political front by the Congress led government for the problems in the state.

She alleged that the Congress reign has given rise to corruption, unemployment and the number of poor people has also increased considerably.

Blaming the Congress led SPF government for the underdeveloped state of roads in Manipur, she pointed out that although the Central government has given 90% subsidy for the development of roads in the state, the roads are still in their worst conditions with dust and dirt on all NHs of the state.

She demanded to know where the 90% subsidy has gone.

She charged the Congress led SPF government with failure in taking up any welfare schemes for the people, during its 10 years term in the state.

It will be a wise decision to choose a different party which can fulfill the aspirations of the people, she exhorted If the people of the state repose their faith on Trinamool Congress and elect the party to power, the party will fulfill all the promises it made during the time of election.

If the party comes to power, it will form an expert committee and remove AFSPA, protect human rights and also to take up necessary measures to develop human resources, she assured.

She also highlighted the works done by Trinamool Congress in the state of West Bengal mentioning the increase in the relaxation of retirement age of the SCs, STs, General and handicapped categories.

She also assured the people of the state that the party will developed the Tourism industry, protect and preserve the cultural identity of the tribals and also take up welfare programmes for the Journalist of the state.

She also said that the party will monitor all development programmes taken up in the state from Kolkata, the Gateway of West Bengal and promises to give a smile on the face of every individual in the state, if the party is voted to power.

"If Darjeeling can smile, Manipur can also smile," she said, reminding the people that she has thrashed out a peace formula in West Bengal's Darjeeling hills.

Kim Gangte, President, Manipur Unit, Trinamool Congress, who was also present on the occasion said that, for Trinamool Congress politics is not a business but a means to wipe out the tears of the widows and the poor and also to bring an end to the sufferings of the people by taking up various development programmes.

Death of five workers in 18 days at a closed tea garden in the Dooars has sparked starvation death row in North Bengal. Though district administration is yet to confirm that the workers died "due to starvation", relief work has been started on warfooting. The district administration has set up medical camps and sent food as "relief" for the workers.

Five workers aged between 25 and 50 years died at two divisions of Dheklapara Tea Estate - a remote garden at Madarihat block of Jalpaiguri district - between December 9 and 27. The garden is closed since 2002. It went into operation in 2004, but only for a few months. Most of the workers either migrated to other states as unskilled labourers or chose to work in stone quarries.


The irony simply cannot be lost on anyone: it's one hospital where the death bell keeps tolling with frightening frequency.
But for the patients who come to the Malda district hospital in West Bengal in the hope of getting cured, this irony is nothing short of a tragedy.
It's a living hell at the hospital, where overcrowded infant wards, a few stray cats and dogs, and filthy floors greet visitors.
Children of a lesser God? Patients languish in this hospital in Bengal's Malda district
So it comes as no surprise that 37 children have died here in less than a week, with four crib deaths reported on Tuesday alone.
The life span of the 37 casualties in the past week ranged from one hour to three months. The third such incident since November 2011 in this north Bengal town has triggered a debate over the role of the state health machinery.
The Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress government has not taken any concrete action to improve the sorry state of affairs.

The situation is especially worrisome since Banerjee herself holds the health portfolio.
Sources said women in labour were admitted to the Malda hospital from the block healthcare units and from neighbouring states, such as Jharkhand and Bihar, and even Bangladesh.
Malda's chief medical officer Swapan Jhariat claimed: 'Almost all the infants were brought here in a critical condition and there wasn't enough time to treat them.
'The children suffered from low weight, pneumonia and birth asphyxia.'
State women and child welfare minister Sabitri Mitra, who made a surprise visit to the hospital on Sunday, said: 'It is really a sorry state of affairs. I saw babies lying on the floor, amid filth.'

The Malda district hospital is the only state-run health-care facility in the entire region and it caters to over 33 lakh population of the district, besides the residents of other districts such as South Dinajpur, North Dinajpur and Murshidabad.
The hospital is reeling under severe staff shortage - both in terms of doctors and paramedics, Mitra said. 'The patient-nursing staff ratio, which should ideally be 5:1, is almost 40:1.
'It is practically impossible to carry on with such shortage,' she added.
Talking about the government's efforts to generate awareness in the rural pockets, the minister said: 'We are carrying out a sustained campaign against early marriage and proper delivery of babies at the block healthcare units.'


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/indiahome/indianews/article-2091391/Malda-crib-deaths-37-children-died-West-Bengal-hospital-week.html#ixzz1kYIepRBH
The Statesman reports:Unable to cope with penury, a Calcutta Tramways Company (CTC) employee ended his life late last night. Vikram Singh (27), who joined as a maintenance staff at the Ghashbagan depot 14 months ago, did not receive his salary for the past four months and committed suicide last night by hanging himself from the ceiling of his room at Nabagram in Konnagar, Hooghly following a tiff over financial crisis with his wife.

The state transport department put a hold on salary of 258 employees of CTC who joined in the past 14 months. According to the affected employees, the state government did not allow CTC authorities to clear the salary as the new Trinamul Congress-led government has a "notion" that these people were recruited illegally during the erstwhile Left Front regime. Police came to know after speaking to the victim's wife, Mrs Kumkum Singh, that the victim was passing through an acute financial crisis. Last night, they had an altercation when she had asked him to go to a grocery shop.  

"He refused to go as the owner of the shop would have asked him to clear his dues," said Mrs Singh, adding he secured the door of the room from inside after she went to the grocery shop and hanged himself.  "I knocked on the door repeatedly, but he did not respond. Neighbours came rushing after hearing me cry and broke open the door. He was immediately rushed to hospital where he was declared brought dead," said Mrs Singh. The body was later sent to Walsh Hospital for an autopsy.

Senior CPI-M leaders visited the victim's house and spoke to his wife. The body was later brought to the CTC depot at Ghashbagan where Vikram's co-workers paid him homage.  

Mr Kalyan Kumar Das, another affected employee, said Vikram had asked him for some money, but he failed to help him as he was also passing through the same situation. "He was further depressed after watching the state transport minister, Mr Madan Mitra's comment on news channels that the state government will no more give subsidy to transport corporations," said Mr Das.  

"We had provided all documents the CTC authorities had asked us to submit at the time of our joining. Again after the change of guard in the state all the employees had to submit their documents, but Mr Shantilal Jain, CTC chairman, did not forward our documents to the state government," alleged Mr Das, adding some more employees may choose the same path if the state government keeps "betraying".

The state transport minister Mr Madan Mitra today termed the incident as unfortunate and said that the matter is being probed into. Mr Mitra said he spoke to the employee's mother who told him that her son did not stay with her but was yet to get the details as to what led to the suicide. He said it is being falsely propagated that the government's decision to withdraw subsidy has compelled the employee to commit suicide. He, however, reiterated his yesterday's statement today by saying that the subsidy would not be withdrawn at one go but it would be done in phases.  

When questioned on the delay in disbursing salaries and pension benefits of transport employees, Mr Mitra admitted that the government somehow managed to give the salary for the month of November adding the issue is of prime concern to the chief minister Mamata Banerjee who would hold a meeting with the heads of the transport corporations on Friday. "I can assure you this much that the government would deal the issue with a humanitarian face," he added. "The state is witnessing farmer suicides in the districts and starvation deaths in closed down tea gardens. Now even workers are commuting suicides and that too, working in state government undertaking transport units," said the Leader of Opposition, Surjya Kanta Mishra. He demanded that the next of kin of the deceased CTC employee be adequately compensated.

The Staetesman reports:During the beach festival, Miss Banerjee had said: "I am told Mandarmani is the only beach on which one can drive cars. It has the potential to become a major tourist spot", adding that she has plans to decongest Digha and turn the beaches of Mandarmani and Shankarpur into international sea destinations "capable of rivaling Goa".

Driving on the beaches on Mandarmani would not only be harmful to the beach environment, but would also spell doom for biodiversity as the beaches of Mandarmani and Sankarpur are known to be
carpeted with Red Fiddler crabs; they are also some of the few places where casuarina groves are still untouched.

The draft of the state's action plan for climate change, which is being formulated by each state as a part of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC), clearly attributes the abnormal rate of sea level rise on the state's coastlines, to, apart from global warming, subsidence of the land mass near the coasts and also to "developmental
activities".

"Frequency of severe cyclonic storms is increasing over (the) Bay of Bengal and the sea level is rising globally, however, the level of rise is higher along the coast line of West Bengal, mostly due to subsidence of the land mass near the coast and also may be due to developmental activities, leading to submergence of islands in the eastern region of the coast," the report says.

The chief minister, as if to put balm on the sore, had directed the Digha Shankarpur Development Authority (DSDA) chairman, Mr Debashis Sen, to submit a status report on Mandarmani's illegal hotels in a week. But one can't help but doubt the intention when the
chief minister herself spoke of developing resorts in these places.

The average sea level rise has been 1.3 mm per year along the Indian coast. However, tide gauge observations at Diamond Harbour port indicate a sea level rise of 5.7 mm. Subsidence in the region is at the rate of 4 mm per year. Any unplanned development would mean a threat to more than 70 lakh people living near the coasts in West Bengal.

Sea level rise is expected to exacerbate inundation, storm surge, erosion and other coastal hazards.
A lesson or two may be taken from Goa where, with years of tourist inflow, the two rivers Mandovi and Zuari have become highly polluted due to the on-boat casinos and unchecked flow of municipal waste.

The sourness in the Mamata-Congress ties remained as Union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh on Wednesday declined to extend his stay in Bengal by a few more hours despite a formal request by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee who was scheduled to return from her electoral trip to Manipur.

While the Union Minister said he had other engagements in Delhi and that he had telephonic conversations with the Chief Minister, Congress insiders said Ramesh had no other choice but to "return the courtesy" after the "Chief Minister persistently avoided a meeting with him for the past two days" and he was left to hold talks "on crucial rural development issues" regarding the State with his Bengal counterpart Subroto Mukherjee.

"The Chief Minister had earlier been cordial enough to meet Ramesh at a private television channel's office but this time she avoided him and did not even attend the programme on Netaji (Subhas Chandra Bose's) birthday where the two were scheduled to share the same dais" the senior PCC leader said.

Incidentally, the Minister who was visiting the three naxalite-affected districts — Bankura, Purulia and West Midnapore — of Bengal touched a raw nerve by coming out with a suggestion to improve paddy procurement mechanism in the State.

He was speaking against the backdrop of recurrent farmer suicides in Bengal on account of the non-availability minimum support price for paddy.

While the PCC has repeatedly asked for an all-party delegation to visit districts to inquire about the rising incidents of farmer suicides — reportedly 25 in the past eight months — Banerjee said there was only one such death "exclusively related to agricultural crisis".
Ramesh said the State should adopt measures like engaging women self-help groups in paddy procurement. "In Purulia, I found farmers getting Rs 750 in place of of Rs 1080" he said adding "village SHGs should be involved in procurement like in AP and Chhattisgarh.

Mangal Tati (40), Sushil Tati (50), Bijay Tati (35), Parimal Tati (25) of Tatipara division and Rungi Kheria (46) of Nepani division had no difference. One of them went Uttarpradesh in search of job but returned a year ago after could not survive there.

The state labour department has an assistance scheme for jobless workers like those dead under FAWLOI (Financial Assistance to Workers of Locked-out Industries). The victims - Mangal Tati, Sushil Tati, Bijay Tati, Parimal Tati of Tatipara division and Rungi Kheria of Nepani division - were among the 484 families of the garden entitled for the assistance but none of them received the meagre Rs 1,500 in last three months.
The National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) could be the best relief for these hapless families in this remote part where people hardly have any employment scope. Sukra Munda, Panchayat Pradhan of Bandapani Panchayat, claimed that most of the garden workers have been provided 100-days job.
However, the workers countered the claim vociferously. "We get 22 to 30 days job in a year and are paid after two months," said Laksman Lal Munda, a garden worker. Though the Panchayat Pradhan did not deny the problem, he was not ready to accept that five persons died of starvation. "Most of them were suffering from tuberculosis and cirrhosis of liver," said Munda.
Block medical officer Debojyoti Chakraborty echoed that all five died as they were suffering from different ailment. He did not elaborate the ailments, but locals complained that the only health centre in the locality do not run regularly.
Partha Pratim Sarkar, an NGO activist working for the tea garden workers, said, "Drinking is common among the garden workers. Cirrhosis of liver suggests they are not getting proper nutrition."
Jalpaiguri district magistrate Smarki Mahapatra is also aware of the deaths and has already ordered an inquiry. She admitted that the district administration could not start "Sahay" scheme in several areas, including Dheklapara, still now. Mahapatra has now taken initiative to set up medical camps at the garden after the series of death and the BDO reached the spot on Thursday with rice as "relief".
Jalpaiguri district additional labour commissioner Bikram Mahalanabis admitted that workers were paid FAWLOI fund in September as an arrear up to June 2011. The rest is still pending. " We expect the amount will be cleared within a couple of weeks," said a senior labour department official who hinted that the bill was signed only on Thursday after Mahapatra took up the matter and spoke to labour commissioner. "An inquiry has been ordered. We are trying to provide relief for the people according to our schemes," said Mahapatra.

The West Bengal Chief Minister was speaking in an election meeting held at Langjing Achouba of Imphal West district during her one-day visit to the State today.


Addressing the election meeting, the Trinamool Congress Chairman said that she has given her assurance to Irom Sharmila during her brief meeting with the hunger striker in the security ward of JNIMS that Trinamool Congress would fight against AFSPA and would not give the consent to continue the draconian Act if voted to power.


"Army rule will not be allowed", she added.


Mamata however said that she loves the Army adding it is not their fault but the fault of the policy makers.


Saying that it must be kept in mind by policy decision making bodies that Army rule can't bring peace, Mamata Banerjee pointed out that violence in the State must be resolved through socio-economic and political means.


Maintaining that the TC led Government in West Bengal solved the problems of naxal-affected Jangalmahal within eight months, she expressed hope that her party would be able to solve the problems of Manipur as well.

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West Bengal CM and TC leader Mamata Banerjee at reaches out to the people





Taking a dig at the Congress led SPF Government in Manipur, Mamta Banerjee asked why the present State Government is not able to bring development although the Centre is providing 90 per cent subsidy fund.

"Where have all these money gone?", she enquired.

Manipur must glitter like gold if all these money are properly implemented, she said and added that Manipur on the other hand is infested with poverty, underdevelopment, drug abuse and diseases like cancer, TB and AIDS.

As the present Government is not able to perform, she said, people must throw them out and a chance must be given to another party.

If voted to power, Mamata Banerjee promised, Trinamool Congress would give 100 per cent performance in repealing AFSPA, bringing development in the State, cutting down of human rights violation, emphasising on human resource development, boosting of tourism sector, women empowerment, solving youths' issues, welfare of media persons, promotion of Manipuri and tribal culture and protection of minorities.

Speaking her Government's achievements in West Bengal, she said, her government has increased the age limit of getting into Government jobs from 32 years to 40 years.

Her government also provides loans for children's education, SHG and minority loans.

Trinamool Congress is fielding its candidates in 48 Constituencies in the coming State Assembly elections.

Trinamool Congress General Secretary Mukul Roy, North East in-charge KD Singh, party skokesperson Derek O' Brien, party leader Saurav, State party president Kim Gangte and party candidates were present in the election meeting.

New BPL list survey to start this month!

TNN | Jan 26, 2012, 12.58AM IST

KOLKATA: A survey for drawing up a new list for people below the poverty line will start in the state this month. The survey would be completed by April, Union rural development minister Jairam Ramesh said in Kolkata on Wednesday, after touring the Maoist-hit districts of Purulia and Bankura, and also South 24-Parganas.
Explaining the reasons to go for a new BPL list, he said Bengal being a "highly politicized state", political considerations had crept in while drawing up the list in the past. The BPL list should not exclude beneficiaries on political considerations. Blaming it on the "34-year tyrannical rule" of the Left Front, Ramesh also took a dig at ally Trinamool Congress, saying "a new tyranny should not replace it".
Because of such political considerations, even projects like Prime Minister's Gram Sadak Yojna had suffered in the state, he said. "There are instances of roads not being constructed in places dominated by opposition parties."
Ramesh said he had received complaints from villagers in the Maoist-hit districts that they were being forced to sell paddy at Rs 750 a quintal while the procurement price was Rs 1,080 a quintal. This was often because the farmers were selling their paddy to rice mills and not to state-designated procurement centres. "For many years, farmers in eastern Indian states are not getting the full supply price of paddy," he said, indicating that this was not the problem of only the Mamata Banerjee government.
"This is because the infrastructure for procurement in these states is not strong, like in Punjab or Haryana." His suggested the Bengal government to follow the Andhra Pradesh model and involve rural self-help groups, who will purchase paddy directly from the farmers.
Denying that there was any difference between him and Mamata, Ramesh said he had a long talk with the CM over the phone during the day to discuss the outcome of his visit. "We could not meet because the CM went to Manipur today and I have to go back to Delhi." He said: "I see changes after 34 years." Congress as partner of the ruling alliance also shared the credit for this performance. "None has the monopoly over the credit," said Ramesh.
In programmes under the MGNREGA, the performance of Bengal was below that of many other states, Ramesh said. "The CM has assured me that things will improve but it will take some time as the neglect of the past 34 years will have to be corrected." He said funds for rural development would not be a problem for Bengal, each LWE district would get Rs 30 crore for projects like road and water supply in affected blocks. A project for fluoride-free drinking water of Rs 4,000 crore, aided by the World Bank and Japanese loan, was awaiting nod of the finance ministry.

18-year-old paraded semi-naked

TNN | Jan 24, 2012, 03.05AM IST

SURI: An 18-year-old girl was allegedly torturedand paraded in a semi-naked condition by family members of her second husband in a Birbhum village on Sunday night.
The administration admitted the girl to Rampurhat subdivisional hospital on Monday. Her sister-in-law was detained for interrogation though the rest of the accused and the woman's husband went into hiding.
The teen got married to a youth of Mallarpur, Prasanta Let, a few months ago. But the marriage did not last and she returned to her father's house in Kusumba, under Rampurhat subdivision. Sometime later, she got into a relationship with a neighbour Tamal Let, who is also her distant relative. They reportedly tied the knot last week. This, however, did not go down very well with Tamal's family who did not like the idea of their son marrying a woman who had been married before.
On Saturday, the couple returned to Kusumba, but the girl did not go to Tamal's house. On Sunday night, however, she was allegedly summoned by Tamal's father. When she went there, her in-laws allegedly started torturing her physically and allegedly paraded her semi-nude through the village. In the face of a strong mob sentiment, Tamal could do little to protest. Neither could her own family members.
"We came to know about the incident on Monday morning and immediately sent a police force to Kusumba," said Rampurhat SDO Baivab Sribastav. "Our officers spoke to the girl. She told them she was tortured, her hair was snipped and she was forced to walk in a semi-naked condition across the village. We have sent her to Rampurhat subdivisional hospital. One person has been detained for interrogation. But what exactly happened is yet to be investigated. We will provide security for her family members if they seek it," he added.
The girl's father alleged that he had been threatened against lodging a police complaint. "We are very poor. We could not even protest when they tortured my daughter. They warned me against lodging a complaint with police. I did not even dare to take my daughter to hospital till police came," he said. Tamal and his family members have fled the village. Police have detained Tamal's sister Saraswati Let for questioning.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata-/18-year-old-paraded-semi-naked/articleshow/11609360.cms

Medha Patekar assaulted after accident

Subhro Maitra, TNN | Jan 24, 2012, 03.09AM IST

MALDA: Social activist Medha Patekar and herdriver were assaulted by locals after her car hit a girl at Kaliachak on Monday morning. She was detained for more than an hour. Police had to rush to her rescue and Patekar was sent away in another car.
Patekar was on her way to Islampore to attend a programme organized by Lokshakti Abhijan andTaso and Adivasi Jami Rakkha Committee. Around 11.00am, when she reached Kaliachak, her car hit a girl named Baby Mandal. Hundreds of onlookers rushed to the spot and pulled the driver out of the car. Patekar too was assaulted while protecting him. Locals also ransacked the car.
They demanded compensation for the injured girl and asked that the driver be punished. She herself handed over Rs 500 for the treatment of the victim. Later, police arrived and on recognizing Patekar, rescued her from the agitators. They arranged for another car for Patekar to move.
Block Development Officer of Kaliachak-1 Tamojit Chakraborty conceded the fact saying, "It is surprising that police didn't inform us about the incident. I came to know from other sources." Patekar finally reached Islampore in the afternoon.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata-/Medha-Patekar-assaulted-after-accident/articleshow/11609406.cms
Congress accuses Trinamool Congress of mapping pre-poll pact with NPF.
Kim denies MPCC chief fires integrity salvo!
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, January 25, 2012: Firing salvos at rival political parties from the shoulder of the territorial integrity of Manipur, MPCC president Gaikhangam has today asserted that the Nagaland based Naga People's Front is trying to make forays into the State Assembly with the sole agenda of breaking up the State.


The All India Trinamool Congress on the other hand has struck a pre-poll alliance with such a political party, he claimed.


The Trinamool Congress has however debunked the charges of Gaikhangam and dubbed it nothing less than an attempt to deceive the public with rhetoric.


Speaking to reporters at Congress Bhawan, Gaikhangam said that there is nothing new in the NPF and dubbed it 'old wine in new bottle'.


Elaborating, he said that in the last election, the United Naga Council with the active backing of the NSCN (IM) sponsored their own candidates and managed to send 7/8 candidates to the Assembly.


However the agenda of the UNC sponsored candidates was defeated squarely by the Congress with the active support of the people, he claimed.


This time around, some Opposition parties have reached a tacit understanding with the NPF and struck pre-poll pacts with it, claimed Gaikhangam and appealed to the people to be wary of such parties, which are guided by their designs to compromise with the territorial integrity of Manipur.


Underlining the basis of his charges, Gaikhangam said that it has only been the Congress which came out against the style of campaigning launched by NPF leader and Chief Minister of Nagaland Nephiu Rio.


No other political party raised a single voice against Rio's campaign and his design to dismember the territory of Manipur, he asserted.


The silence of the other political parties is indicative of a pre-poll alliance with the NPF, he added.


Answering queries from the media persons, Chief Minister O Ibobi who was also present at the press conference said that a pre-poll pact has been lined up between the NPF and the Trinamool Congress.


In the hill areas, the NPF has come to a tacit understanding with the Trinamool Congress, claimed Ibobi and urged the people to be wary of not only the NPF but also the Trinamool.


The Chief Minister further said that it is only the Congress which has been banned by the CorCom and observed that the NPF and other political parties which have struck alliances with it are not banned.


The Chief Minister wondered what the objectives of CorCom are.


However the Manipur Pradesh Trinamool Congress president, Kim Gangte has rubbished the claims of the Congress.


Talking to media persons, she said that the TC is a principled party and added that it has not struck any pre-poll alliance with any other political party.


The election manifesto of the Trinamool has been released for the people of Manipur to go through, she said.


If there is any such pre-poll pact, why are supporters and workers of Trinamool Congress being threatened and harassed by NPF supporters, she countered.


The Congress is trying to befool and mislead the people, said Kim and asserted that such a ploy would not succeed.


The Trinamool Congress will go along with like minded political parties after the election in consultation with the high command to ensure communal harmony and peace, she added.


--
Palash Biswas
Pl Read:
http://nandigramunited-banga.blogspot.com/

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