Mamata announces she will fight Bengal polls from Nandigram, home turf of Suvendu

Biswabrata Goswami

Hummingbird News

NANDIGRAM, 18 JAN: Chief minister Mamata Banerjee today announced that she would contest from Nandigram, a home turf of her former right hand man Suvendu Adhikari, who crossed over to the BJP last month,  in the upcoming assembly polls.

She expressed her desire and emotion to contest the assembly polls from Nandigram seat amidst the presence of thousands of Nandigram residents at a mass rally held here today.

Addressing the rally, Miss Banerjee said, “I want to request Subrata Bakshi (TMC general secretary), it is my wish, I will not neglect Bhabanipur, I will give potential candidate (for Bhabanipur), but I want my name in Nandigram too. Due to my love for Nandigram, I could not control my emotions”.

Bakshi, who was on the podium, swiftly accepted the request.

Miss Banerjee further said, “Nandigram is my lucky place. I started my election campaign from here during 2016 assembly polls and TMC won the polls. So, today, I am announcing my election campaign from here for 2021 assembly polls. I believe, we will win all the seats and we will win the polls.”

She said, “I won’t be able to give much time here (Nandigram) during polls, because I will have to fight from 294 assembly seats. You (Nandigram residents) will have to take responsibility to win the seat. After election, I will give much time and will meet your all demands”.

Later in her speech, she indicated that she may contest from two constituencies and said, “Bhabanipur is my big sister, Nandigram is my younger sister…I will fight from both if possible. In case I am unable to contest from Bhabanipur, someone potential candidate would contest”.

Nandigram was the scene of massive public protest against forcible land acquisition by the then Left Front fovernment for creation of a special economic zone.

The protracted and often bloody protests added to Miss Banerjee and her party’s political heft and catapulted the TMC to power in 2011, marking the end of the Left Front rule of 34 years.

Adhikari is considered the face of the movement in Nandigram.

After switching over to the BJP, Adhikari has often accused Miss Banerjee of having forgotten the people of the area who helped her gain power in the state.

Without taking Suvendu’s name, Miss Banerjee said she would never allow “a handful of people” to sell out Bengal to the BJP.

“Those who have left the party have my best wishes. Let them become president and vice president of the country. But don’t you dare to sell out Bengal to the BJP. As long as I am alive, I won’t allow them to sell out my state to the BJP,” she said.

The CM went on to take a dig at Adhikari, saying it was “good some people have left (TMC)”.

“Some are moving from here to there. They will be fought by our local leaders, don't worry, these guys were not there when the Trinamul Congress was formed. It is good some people have left,” Miss Banerjee said.

“There are three kinds of leaders—‘lobhi’ (greedy), ‘bhogi’ (hedonist) and the ‘tyagi’ (the one who renounces). The bhogis and lobhis might quit the party, but the tyagis never will. This party is like a mother to us and the tyagis will never ever quit the party,” she said adding that there are some who have loads of money, so to save that money; they have gone to the BJP.

She also alleged that BJP leaders from Delhi threatened them.

Miss Banerjee asserted the TMC will win a third straight term in office and the BJP will be decimated.

Miss Banerjee also hit out at the BJP, accusing it of luring her party men by promising to turn their black money into white. “Washing Powder Bhajapa (BJP) : TMC me kaala, BJP ka washing machine me shaada (black in Trinamul, white in BJP washing machine),” she remarked.

Miss Banerjee recalled the struggles she waged in Nandigram and Singur over forcible land acquisition by the Left Front government, and asserted the BJP was committing the same mistake by trying to undermine the farmers’ protest at Delhi’s borders.

“No one should undermine the farmers’ struggle. The BJP is trying to undermine it and will face the same consequences like the Left did because of Nandigram and Singur,” she said, and reaffirmed her opposition to the three farms laws.

“The CPI-M tried to snatch away the land of the farmers. The BJP is trying to snatch away the crops of the farmers,” she said.

Miss Banerjee said, “Nandigram showed the way, today farmers in Punjab are agitating (against the farm laws). We are with the farmers...BJP must withdraw the three farm laws.”

Meanwhile, TMC leaders in Nandigram who were seen jubilant after Miss Banerjee’s announcement said that this announcement will galvanise party workers in East and West Midnapore districts and adjoining areas who were feeling rudderless after Suvendu Adhikari quit the party.

 

Few people visiting after 13 years : Suvendu takes dig at TMC

“After 13 years, a few people are now coming here as the elections are approaching. I want to tell them if they are coming before polls, they will have to come after elections too”.

Biswabrata Goswami

Hummingbird News 

NANDIGRAM, 10 NOV: With the rumour of his future political strategy moving around across the state, Suvendu Adhikari, one of the pillars within Trinamul Congress, today, indirectly hit his own party leadership for organizing simultaneous rally to mark Nandigram Diwas.

Adhikari, one of the main architects of Nandigram anti-land acquisition movement, held a mass rally under the banner of Bhumi Uchhed Pratirodh Committee (BUPC) to pay respects to the martyrs, who died on this day in 2007 during anti-land acquisition movement, as like as previous years and said, “A few people are visiting the area after 13 years as the assembly elections are approaching.”

He said, “Nandigram movement was a spontaneous mass movement and it was not of any particular individual. I have been with the people of Nandigram. I used to come alone those days and stood by the people. So, I have never used this BUPC platform as a political platform.”

Adhikari said, “After 13 years, a few people are now coming here as the elections are approaching. I want to tell them if they are coming before polls, they will have to come after elections too”.

For the last few months, Adhikari is maintaining distance with the party and party leaderships and todays’ rally had gathered the attention of the political experts as many thought that Adhikari would finally break silence about his sour relations with TMC.

While speaking to the Nandigram residents, Adhikari, however, clearly mentioned, “I know the media is waiting to know what I have in mind. They’re willing to know what Suvendu will do. Yes, I’ll speak. Where did I stumble in politics, where is my path filled with obstructions, where do I lack comfort. I’ll speak about everything. But not today. Not from this apolitical BUPC platform.”

He added, “I will speak from a political platform. See you again.”

But, what he concluded by saying was “Jay Bharat Mata”, which has triggered a fresh speculation to the political experts whether he has hinted any about switching to saffron camp.

In Nandigram, there were three rallies to mark Nandigram Diwas today. The second rally was held under the banner of Trinamul Congress where TMC leader Firad Hakim addressed a rally and the third one was arranged by Suvendu's brother Dibyendu to ‘counter Hakim’.

Suvendu’s rally was held at Gokulnagar High School ground, while Firad’s rally was held at Hazrakata to pay respect to Rezaul Karim, one of the martyrs who was killed at this place. As Rezaul was resident near Chowringhee Bazar, Dibyendu arranged the rally to pay respect to him here.

Speaking at the rally, Firad said, “Nandigram movement was held under the leadership of Mamata Banerjee. No one can deny it.”   

Trinamul Congress suspends 25 panchayat workers and leaders in Nandigram-I block for nepotism and corruption in distribution of Amphan fund

Trinamul Congress suspends 25 panchayat workers and leaders in Nandigram-I block for nepotism and corruption in distribution of Amphan fund

Meghnath Pal, party’s block sabhapati of Nandigram-I block said, “The party has suspended 24 workers and leaders who have been found guilty in several corruption cases including the distribution of financial compensation to the tune of Rs 20000 to the people affected in cyclone Amphan. The party had warned them and asked them to return the fund. But, these men did not respond to the show cause notices. So, the party has decided to suspend them from the party.”

Biswabrata Goswami

Hummingbird News

MIDNAPORE, 7 JULY: The Trinamul Congress, today, suspended 25 of its panchayat workers and leaders in Nandigram-I block of East Midnapore over allegations of nepotism and corruption in distribution of financial compensation to the people affected by super cyclone Amphan hit the state on 20 May.

Earlier on Sunday, the party had issued show cause notices to around 200 such workers and leaders over the aforesaid allegations. Around 85 of those Trinamul workers who received show-cause notice from the party have returned the compensation of Rs 20000 that the government transferred to their bank accounts for repairing homes.

While announcing the party’s decision after conducting a core-committee meeting held today, Meghnath Pal, party’s block sabhapati of Nandigram-I block said, “The party has suspended 24 workers and leaders who have been found guilty in several corruption cases including the distribution of financial compensation to the tune of Rs 20000 to the people affected in cyclone Amphan. The party had warned them and asked them to return the fund. But, these men did not respond to the show cause notices. So, the party has decided to suspend them from the party.”

“Other workers against whom show cause notices served have immediately responded and most of them have already returned the money. A few of them will return within two days”, Pal told The Statesman.

The state government had released a relief package of Rs 6,800 crore. A part of this amount is being spent as compensation for those whose houses were damaged by cyclone Amphan. But there have been complaints that thousands of people whose houses were not damaged also got the money.

“TMC will conduct a survey in all 25 community blocks in the district and take action against errant workers,” said Sisir Adhikari, a veteran TMC MP and the party’s East Midnapore unit president.

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee had said on Monday that the state government is rectifying the lapses which might have occurred in its efforts to pay the compensation to the victims quickly.

“A few lapses might have taken place while we fast- tracked the compensation payment process on an emergency basis. We are rectifying the anomalies. Every affected family will receive the monetary relief,” she had said.

Criticising the TMC’s move against its own workers, BJP state president Dilip Ghosh said, “Why is the ruling party reluctant to lodge FIRs against the corrupt TMC leaders? If they know the culprits, why are they delaying in taking serious action against them?”

Courtesy: Images from iNET.

CPI-M leader who returned home after 11 years following Nandigram land agitation found dead at nearby forest in Khejuri

CPI-M leader who returned home after 11 years following Nandigram land agitation found dead at nearby forest in Khejuri  

“Debabrata alias Debu was a serious party leader and he could not return home since the Nandigram land agitation and subsequent political turmoil. Yesterday, he returned home, but he has been killed due to political reason. The real culprits should be arrested soon”.

Biswabrata Goswami

MIDNAPORE, 5JULY:

Mystery shrouds the death of a CPI-M leader at Baratala under Khejuri police station limits in East Midnapore whose body was found at nearby Bamunchawk forest early this morning.

Debabrata Bhunia (54), a CPI-M Baratala branch committee member, had been staying outside the village for the last 11 years. On Saturday, he returned his house to attend a case lodged against him in the Contai court. And after visiting the court, he went to the party office at Baratala and talked with the leaders and workers.

As in the night, he did not return his house, the family members started searching him, but his body was found lying inside the nearby Bamunchawk forest this morning, said Mahmud Hossain, a CPI-M leader.

The prominent CPI-M leader, Himangshu Das in Khejuri, who also returned his house nearly 11 years after the Nandigram land agitation, said, “Debabrata alias Debu was a serious party leader and he could not return home since the Nandigram land agitation and subsequent political turmoil. Yesterday, he returned home, but he has been killed due to political reason. The real culprits should be arrested soon”.

Das was named in a CID chargesheet, along with former MP Lakshman Seth, for their alleged role during the violent land agitation in 2007. Das had remained unofficially banned from the village since June 2009 when alleged Trinamul Congress groups destroyed his home.

Das, along with 1,000 CPM workers, were driven out of Khejuri. Though many returned home later, Das continued to live at a rented flat in Haldia.

Alike Das, Bhunia was driven out by the TMC workers during 2009 and since then he used to stay outside the village in his relative’s house.

To protest against the killing, the CPI-M leaders comprising Das, Hossain, Jaharaja Ali, Jagannath Doloi, Tapas Mishra and others launched an agitation at Henria market where they demanded immediate arrest of the assailants.