Friday, January 13, 2012

No cash reaches Lalgarh victims PRONAB MONDAL

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1120114/jsp/bengal/story_15004494.jsp

No cash reaches Lalgarh victims

Lalgarh, Jan. 13: Six months have passed since Mamata Banerjee announced compensation of Rs 1 lakh each for Chitamoni Murmu, Lakshmimoni Pratihar, and Gangamoni Murmu — the faces of alleged police atrocities in Jungle Mahal in 2008 — but neither the cheques nor any communication from the government has reached them.

During her first trip to West Midnapore's Jungle Mahal as chief minister on July 13 last year, Mamata had announced the compensation to the three Lalgarh women, all of whom were injured during police raids. The raids were conducted following a Maoist-triggered blast on then chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee's convoy in Salboni on November 3, 2008. The Lalgarh movement was launched by the Maoists after alleged police atrocities during the raids.

Asked about Mamata's silence on the promised cash during yesterday's rally in Jhargram, Lakshmimoni's husband Dipak could not help being sarcastic. "Our chief minister has given us the money through the microphone."

"I was arrested on false charges from Lalgarh bazaar a day after the Salboni blast. The police had kicked my wife in the abdomen when she was in an advanced stage of pregnancy. I was dragged to the police jeep and taken away," he said. Dipak, who had said earlier that he did not need the compensation and demanded punishment for those who had "tortured" him and his wife, had been kept in police lock-up for nine days.

Asked about his refusal to accept the money, Dipak said: "It is up to me whether I accept the money or not. But there should have been some communication from the administration. After all, the chief minister had made the announcement."

Chitamoni's husband Gourchand alleged that she had lost vision in her right eye after being hit by a police baton.

"Let alone money, no one from the government came here to inquire about my wife's condition. We do not know why the chief minister made false promises in front of thousands of people. We never asked for money, she promised it on her own," Gourchand said.

Gangamoni, too, has not received any communication from the government so far.

Basab Banerjee, the sub-divisional officer of Jhargram, said he was not aware of the allegations made by the families of the victims. "I was not posted in Jhargram when the chief minister made the announcement."

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