Prachanda as chief of international Maoists?
Palash Biswas
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Sanhati
- 2 visits - 8 MayNandigram. November 2007: Articles and Reports >> · March 2007: Reports >>. Nuclear Deal. Nuclear Deal, "National Interest" and the Indian Left ...
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Nandigram - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
In 2007 the West Bengal government decided to allow Salim Group to set up a chemical hub at Nandigram under the SEZ policy. This led to resistance by the ...
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Nandigram violence - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Nandigram violence was an incident in Nandigram, West Bengal where, on the orders of the Left Front government, more than 4000 heavily armed police ...
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Karat: What really happened in Nandigram
23 Mar 2007 ... The events in Nandigram, starting from the January 3 incident have been the subject of a heated controversy. A feature of this political ...
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Nandigram: Communism as fascism - I
2 Apr 2007 ... There is nothing in the way the Communists of West Bengal conducted themselves at Nandigram that should have amazed anybody. ...
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Hours after Nandigram rape victim's vote robbed by CPM, her ...
9 May 2009 ... Nandigram Hours after Sabina Begum (name changed to protect her identity), a Nandigram rape victim, was intimidated and not allowed to vote ...
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India Together: Nandigram, an atrocity on dalits - 5 May 2007
5 May 2007 ... The hypocrisy with which the Government of West Bengal acted at Nandigram this March is a serious cause of disillusionment and has opened ...
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Nandigram
Nandigram. updates of SEZ resistance. posts - 570, comments - 50. My Links. Home · RSS 2.0 Feed. Archives. August, 2009 (7) · July, 2009 (9) · June, ...
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Nandigram :
Nandigram (WB), Nov 14 (PTI) The CRPF personnel were on patrol in Nandigram as the troubled-torn areas remained peaceful today after its "recapture" by the ...
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All is not lost in Lalgarh, operations to go on: Buddha - 16 hours ago
Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee on Tuesday admitted that the ongoing security operation in the Maoist-hit Lalgarh has failed to achieve the desired ...Indian Express - 27 related articles »
CPM hits out at Centre on Ministers visiting Lalgarh - Indian Express - 3 related articles »Maoists exchange fire with security forces in Lalgarh - Press Trust of India - 20 related articles » -
Lalgarh (Midnapore) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Lalgarh is the headquarters of Binpur–I CD block. Midnapore Railway station is the nearest important station about 45 km from the village. ...
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Lalgarh Movement – Mass uprising of adivasis in West Bengal at Sanhati
July 10: EPW articles on Lalgarh. Editorial piece: Lalgarh - Questions to the Left [PDF, English] », Sumit sarkar and Tanika Sarkar: Notes on a dying people ...
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The Hindu : National : Problem at Lalgarh spreading: official
17 Jun 2009 ... Unabated violence: Tribals take out a rally at Lalgarh in West Bengal on Tuesday in support of the People's Committee against Police ...
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'Lalgarh will be torn by violence if I'm arrested': Rediff.com news
22 Jun 2009 ... 'Lalgarh will be torn by violence if I'm arrested', Rediff.com: Indian news | news columns | interviews | news specials | newshound & more.
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West Bengal: Tribals take control of Lalgarh: Rediff.com news
West Bengal: Tribals take control of Lalgarh, Rediff.com: Indian news | news columns | interviews | news specials | newshound & more.
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LALLGARH PALACE
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Lalgarh operation not satisfactory
6 Aug 2009 ... Website of The New Indian Express, India's leading national newspaper that covers south India like no other newspaper.
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Lalgarh Map | India Google Satellite Maps
Lalgarh google map. Satellite image of Lalgarh, India and near destinations. Travel deals.
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Naxals hold armed rally in Lalgarh - India - NEWS - The Times of India
LALGARH: A day after the West Midnapore district administration admitted its failure in tackling the Maoists, the Red rebels in a brazen show of strength ...
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News results for Gorkhaland
Hills extend hands for Gorkhaland - 21 hours ago
"Gorkhaland has to be a reality one day or the other. This is the time to show our unity and tell the government about our demand. ...Calcutta Telegraph - 67 related articles »
Anti-Gorkhaland bandh peaceful - Press Trust of India - 4 related articles »Against Gorkhaland - Hindu -
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Gorkhaland (Nepali: गोर्खाल्याण्ड) is the name given to the area around Darjeeling and the Duars in north West Bengal in India. ...
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India Gorkhaland - Flags, Maps, Economy, History, Climate, Natural ...
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Call for Gorkhaland renewed
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Mutiny.in » Why not Gorkhaland?
Why can't we have Gorkhaland as a state? I'm all for having smaller states, they are easier to manage. I can't think of even one reason why we can't have ...
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Gorkhaland tripartite talks today
11 Aug 2009 ... The tripartite talks to find a solution to the Gorkhaland statehood issue will be held here on Tuesday with the Centre meeting ...
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The Hindu : National : Against Gorkhaland
Demonstrators block a train during a 24-hour shutdown in Siliguri on Tuesday against statehood for Gorkhaland. Rail and road traffic was affected in the ...
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IndiaDaily - A separate state of Gorkhaland with its capital in ...
The Gorkhas are claiming that the agenda of development of the hills was "irrelevant" when the main issue was a separate state of Gorkhaland. ...
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Redrawing the map of Gorkhaland
12 Jun 2008 ... Latest news, breaking news - Redrawing the map of Gorkhaland.
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Gorkhaland | Everything in one place
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| Nandi status for Mangalkot | ||
| KINSUK BASU | ||
Khudrun, Aug. 11: Mamata Banerjee today declared she would now focus her energies on "rescuing" restive Mangalkot, clubbing it with Singur and Nandigram. "From now, Mangalkot will be my target," Mamata said at Khudrun, the place where Trinamul Congress supporters had clashed with police last Saturday. "Why did the administration clamp Section 144 just before I came here for the meeting? We will come to the rescue of the people of Mangalkot who are being tortured by the CPM, just in the way we went to the rescue of the people of Nandigram and Singur." However, she told her supporters not to violate the prohibitory orders in Mangalkot — Khudrun is about 3km from the restriction zone — and warned them against provoking the police. But trouble erupted at Noapara, about 6km from the meeting site, after Mamata had left for Calcutta. Trinamul minister Mukul Roy stayed back under Mamata's instructions to discuss cases filed against party supporters arrested for clashing with the police after Saturday's rally by Trinamul MP Subhendu Adhikari. The police said Trinamul supporters travelling in an open van tore a CPM flag in Noapara. Some CPM supporters objected and an altercation ensued. The Trinamul supporters, who were more in number, chased the CPM activists and torched a barn. Roy later said: "The CPM supporters attacked my car." The police denied this. "No one threw stones at the minister's car," said Burdwan police chief R. Rajsekharan. |
| Buddha plans Lalgarh shift |
| OUR CORRESPONDENT |
| Midnapore, Aug. 11: Chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee today said the security operation in Lalgarh would continue but possibly with a revised strategy. Nineteen people have been killed in the region in the past month, though around 5,000 personnel are stationed there. Days after the forces completed their area domination exercises in end-June, Maoists claimed their first victim in the renewed spell of violence. The latest was last night. "The joint forces will stay and they will have to change their strategy," the chief minister told reporters when asked about the killing spree after a meeting with West Midnapore officials to review development work in the district. The chief minister, here for the first time since the blast triggered by Maoists on his route last November, added that development projects had to be speeded up along with the security crackdown to isolate the rebels. Although the joint forces comprising central and state paramilitary have completed area domination, they did not go deep into forests such as Jhitka, Kalaimuri, Kalshibhanga or Benishole. No Maoist leader has been arrested during the operation. The state government has admitted that phase two of operation Lalgarh has failed. "Almost everyday, Maoists are killing or abducting people. Our target was to arrest the Maoists or flush them out of Lalgarh and adjoining areas. But current incidents show there hasn't been any improvement," home secretary Ardhendu Sen said last week. The chief minister met MLAs and MPs from the dist- rict, but refused to discuss Lalgarh. Jharkhand Party (Naren) MLA Chunibala Hansda quoted him as saying he would discuss the unrest with Delhi. The Maoists have shot dead six of Hansda's partymen in the past 10 days, apparently to stamp their authority on the region. Maoist leader Bikash said: "The government will now try to create more terror in the name of new strategy. But the people of Lalgarh will fight back with arms." Two Congress MLAs also attended the chief minister's meeting. They discussed irrigation and erosion. Bhattacharjee inaugurated a college in Debra, 30km from the town. Referring to the practice of setting up police camps in schools and colleges, which has triggered fresh unrest in Lalgarh, he said: "I told officers I would rather not go to Debra if my visit leads to the setting up of a police camp. No camp should be set up in a school." Several schools in Lalgarh, however, are still occupied by the forces. The People's Committee Against Police Atrocities tonight called an indefinite bandh in West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia demanding withdrawal of the forces from the schools in Lalgarh.
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1090812/jsp/bengal/story_11351417.jsp |
GOPAL GANDHI POLITICS
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Miffed with politics, Bengal Guv not keen on extension
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New Delhi: The standoff between West Bengal Governor Gopal Gandhi and the Left Front government has spilled over to Delhi with the Governor telling Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that he was not interested in an extension of his term which ends in December.
In September last year the West Bengal Governor brokered peace between Mamata Bannerjee and the West Bengal government over the Singur-Nandigram agitation.
The unease between Gopal Gandhi and West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, camouflaged then is now out in the open.
At a meeting with the Prime Minister just days after having criticised the West Bengal government in a letter for uncontrolled violence, sources have revealed that Gandhi has made it clear he wouldn't want to go back to Raj Bhawan after his term ends.
The Governor's letter has given the Trinamool Congress just the chance to hit out at the Left; meanwhile, for the Left, Gopal is already enemy camp.
Gopal Gandhi had in a letter recently criticised, what he described the tandav of violence in the state between the Left and the Trinamool Congress.
Government sources reveal that the Centre is keen that Gopal goes back to the state as a Governor again, at least till the Assembly polls in 2011.
By doing so, it hopes to convince Mamata that Congress is keen to take on the Left and in Gopal Gandhi, Trinamool sees a powerful critic of the Left.
http://ibnlive.in.com/news/miffed-with-politics-bengal-guv-not-keen-on-extension/99029-37.html
A terrorist is a terrorist is a terrorist: Israeli ambassador
Special Correspondent
CHENNAI: Israel's ambassador to India, Mark Sofer, met Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy at his residence on Wednesday morning. Speaking to reporters at the end of the half-hour long meeting, he described the visit as one to a "long-time friend."
Mr. Sofer said Israel and India had both suffered due to terrorism and ties between the two countries had become stronger after the Mumbai attacks on November 26 2008. Tourist arrivals from Israel had actually picked up in the last few months, he said.
"A terrorist is a terrorist is a terrorist. We do not accept the old idea that a terrorist for some may be a freedom fighter for others, any more," he said, advocating a strong line against terrorists.
Mr. Sofer, also a non-resident ambassador to Sri Lanka, discussed the Sri Lankan issue with S.C.Chandrahasan, founderof the Organisation for Eelam Refugees Rehabilitation (OfERR), present during the discussion.
Dr. Swamy said Sri Lanka should allow for devolution of powers and take confidence-building measures (CBM) to reassure Sri Lankan Tamils even before the elections were due.
Talking about Indo-Israel ties, Mr. Sofer said delegations of Israeli scientists would visit India in October or November. There would be technology exchange related to agriculture and bio-fuels. Israel was also involved in building the desalination project near Chennai and was committed to more such ventures, he added.
Coment: Temporary Truce
The Gorkha hill council was created after a violent agitation for a separate Gorkhaland spearheaded by the Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) and its leader Subhas Ghising. But once the hill council was formed, it rapidly became Ghising's fiefdom. Since 2004, there were no elections held in the DGHC and it was accused of rampant corruption. This led to a breakaway faction, the GJM, resurrecting the demand for a Gorkhaland and scrapping of the hill council. A series of bandhs followed and in many parts of Darjeeling the West Bengal government's writ was no longer heeded. Doing away with the hill council will at least address one of the major demands of the Gorkhas.
Another of GJM's demands was Sixth Schedule status for Darjeeling. This would have given Darjeeling greater autonomy and legislative and executive powers similar to those enjoyed by district councils in tribal areas and in the north-east. However, there is plenty of opposition to this idea in parts of Darjeeling as it would mean a tribal council running the affairs of non-tribals. The demand for Sixth Schedule status has been dropped after the decision to scrap the hill council was taken.
So far so good. Now comes the difficult part: How to tackle the demand for a separate Gorkhaland? It seems that the Centre has told the Gorkhas that a separate state was untenable because it did not have the backing of either West Bengal or Parliament. At the same time, the Lok Sabha MP from Darjeeling, Jaswant Singh, has reiterated that the creation of a state is the main demand of the Gorkhas. The Gorkhaland issue needs to be settled once and for all. An interlocutor has been appointed to carry forward the discussions. It is important that all issues are discussed threadbare and autonomy, that is acceptable to all parties, and even the option of statehood are put on the table. There are justifiable concerns about Darjeeling's strategic importance as well as its viability as a separate state. But if demands for Gorkhaland continue to flare up every few years, we can't afford a temporary solution. Past experience shows that new, smaller states aren't doing so badly.
My friends from Mumabi informed me this Morning that Internal security in Five Maoist Effected states Jharkhand, Chhatish Garh, Orissa, andhra and Maharashtra has been Vested in CIA and Mossad!
The issues discussed during the meeting could not be ascertained as he didn't speak to the waiting media.
Amid controversy over his remarks on continued political violence in the state, Gandhi had yesterday held a meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to discuss the issue with him.
Gandhi had recently come under attack for his statement that West Bengal was witnessing a 'tandava' of violence since the Lok Sabha elections with the ruling Left parties accusing him of being "partisan".
After the meeting, asked whether he was interested in continuing as the Governor, he had said "that is not for me to handle".
"We demand application of Article 355 first followed by imposition of President's Rule as the government has failed to ensure peace and protect minorities, SCs and STs," Trinamool Congress Chief Whip in the Lok Sabha Sudip Bandhopadhay told a rally here.
Referring to CPI(M)'s criticism of Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi's statement on continuing political violence in the state after the Lok Sabha elections, he said: "They are attacking the governor. They are challenging parliamentary democracy. It's time the Centre intervened. We demand that West Bengal be liberated from red terror.
Amid controversy over his remarks on the continued political violence in the State, West Bengal Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi on Tuesday met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and discussed the issue with him.
"We talked about the importance of all political entities and everyone in public life shunning violence and following the path of peace," he told reporters after a 45-minute meeting with the Prime Minister in New dDelhi
Mr. Gandhi had recently come under attack for his statement that West Bengal was witnessing a 'tandava (flare up)' of violence since the 15th Lok Sabha elections, with the ruling Left parties accusing him of being "partisan".
Asked whether he was interested in continuing as the Governor, he said "that is not for me to handle". He also said his term was coming to an end in December this year.
Maintaining that the Prime Minister had called him to discuss the commemoration of the Dandi Satyagraha, Mr. Gandhi said wide ranging subjects were discussed at the meeting.
Mamata rings final bell for CPM in Mangalkot
Claiming that the Assembly elections in Bengal will be held before 2011 because of the deteriorating law and order situation in the state, Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee said the Mangalkot violence will be the last straw in the fall of the Left government.
Amid fears of violence, Banerjee addressed a peaceful rally at Khudrun in trouble-torn Mangalkot on Tuesday and urged party supporters to show restraint. After the rally, sporadic clashes broke out in different areas in Mangalkot between the CPM and Trinamool supporters.
"The Assembly elections will not be held in 2011 as scheduled, but much, much earlier because the CPM has crossed all limits in spreading terror. What began in Nandigram and Singur, will ultimately end in Mangalkot. Mangalkot will ring the last bell for the state government," she said amid applause at Khudrun Crossing, 3 km from the violence-affected villages.
"If elections are held today, we are ready. The people of Bengal are ready to oust the CPM," added Banerjee.
In an interesting turn to her party's stand, Banerjee praised a slain CPM leader, Falguni Banerjee, whose murder had sparked off political unrest in the district a couple of months ago. "I pray for Falgunibabu's soul. As the chief executive officer of Zilla Parishad's electricity department, he exposed that transformers were stolen. Since he was the whistle blower in the CPM, a section of CPM cadres killed him," said Banerjee. She also demand a CBI probe into the incident.
The CPM district committee and Burdwan Zilla parishad leader, Falguni Banerjee, was killed in the second week of June. Following his death clashes broke out in Mangalkot and other areas in Burdwan.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/mamata-rings-final-bell-for-cpm-in-mangalkot/500997
The Hindu Reports:
Violence disrupts Trinamool meeting at Mangalkot
Indrani Dutta
KOLKATA: Mangalkot in West Bengal's Bardhaman district, which shot into the news in July after senior Congress leaders had to flee following a confrontation with a violent mob, witnessed violence again on Saturday when a team of Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders tried to hold a meeting at an adjacent village.
Prohibitory orders were in force in seven villages there.
An angry TMC chief Mamata Banerjee announced that she would visit the area next week and hold a meeting at the very spot from which her party-men were dispersed. "I will myself go and address a meeting from the same spot, let me see what they do" she said in an instant reaction.
"We will not flee," Ms. Banerjee said later, in an oblique reference to the incident when a Congress team, led by Manas Bhunia, Congress Legislature Party leader, had to run through swampy paddy fields to escape a rampaging mob. The team had gone there to provide relief to party workers whom, they said, had come under attack from the Communist Party of India (Marxist).
The team of seven TMC leaders on Saturday was led by the Suvendu Adhikari, Member of Parliament and the new leader of the party's youth wing. The TMC had earlier made unsuccessful attempts to enter Mangalkot, which has seen repeated clashes over the last few months.
Police said the trouble was sparked when stones were pelted at the team by Trinamool supporters who had gathered at Khudruni for their meeting. The police lathi-charged the crowd and fired teargas shells. Two police vehicles were also set on fire.
"Beyond democracy?"
Questioning the clamping of prohibitory orders like Section 144 in Mangalkot and adjacent areas, Ms. Banerjee said at a press conference in the city: "Is Mangalkot beyond democracy that no opposition leader can visit the area even to provide relief materials to the thousands of party-workers who had been rendered homeless over the last six months? Such orders are used either in the case of communal violence or a breakdown of law and order."
"In West Bengal, the order is used to deny the opposition its legitimate rights", Ms. Banerjee alleged, saying that the State government was digging its own grave in this manner.
She added that she would send video clippings of the incident to the Centre.
http://www.hindu.com/2009/08/09/stories/2009080956820800.htm
Meanwhile, People's Union for Civil Liberties national president K.G. Kannabiran has urged the Chief Justices of Orissa and Chhattisgarh High Courts to direct the Home departments in the respective States to produce Maoist activist Padma in a court of law with immediate effect.
In a letter addressed to the Chief Justices, Mr. Kannabiran said Ms Padma who served sentence in various jails of Chhattisgarh was released on Wednesday from Raipur central prison and was picked up by police immediately. It was believed that she was picked up by plainclothes policemen from Orissa or Chhattisgarh.
Ms. Padma, he said, was acquitted in all the earlier cases and there was not a single warrant pending against her. Her relative were apprehensive that she might get killed in a fake encounter. In view of this, he urged the courts to intervene in the matter and protect the life and liberty of a young woman against whom the prosecution could not prove a single charge even after implicating her in a host of cases.
Welcoming Maharashtra Government's decision to temporarily close down schools in the city in wake of rising H1N1 cases, Indian Medical Association (IMA) on Wednesday appealed to the citizens not to panic about swine flu as it is a "self-limiting" illness.
Swine flu does not need anti-viral medicine for every one, an office-bearer of IMA, Maharashtra branch, said in Mumabi.
Being rainy season, children do suffer from viral fever, normal influenza. Parents and citizens should not think every patient of viral fever has H1N1 infection, he said.
"Like any other viral fever and influenza, swine flu is also self-limiting -- that is it can be taken care by the immune system of a person," Suhas Pingle, Honorary Secretary IMA, said.
"It is only when there are complications like Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome that swine flu becomes fatal."
Tamiflu is not required in all cases, he said, and appealed to the citizens not to rush to government hospitals for all cases of fever and respiratory problems.
"The disease is severe in immunodeficiency state, previous cardiac and lung diseases."
The best way to prevent any flu is to stay in good health for which it is important to have proper sleep, balanced diet, plenty of fluids and physical exercise, the doctor said.
Food first, industry later: Bengal goes back to basics
With its land acquisition policy said to have undone it in the recent Lok Sabha polls, the Left Front government on Tuesday made it clear there would be no industrialisation at the cost of food security.
The Land Use Board, reconstituted by Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee after the debacle in the Lok Sabha polls and placed under Minister for Land and Land Reforms Abdur Rezzaq Mollah, held its first meeting after which it made clear that "multi-crop land" would not be acquired for industries.
Earlier, the Board, which earmarks land for industries, was under the Commerce and Industries department.
"We will have to ensure food security before we go in for industrialisation for which our first preference will be fallow or single-crop land. Under no circumstances shall we take multi-crop land. Industrialists will have no freedom in choosing their land. They will be shown the land we have earmarked and if they do not like it, they are free to walk out," Mollah, who presided over the meeting with senior state government officials, said.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/food-first-industry-later-bengal-goes-back-to-basics/500998/
India-US investment treaty to take time
New Delhi (PTI): The US on Wednesday said its proposed bilateral investment treaty with India will take time to materialise, but when clinched it would offer protection to investors in each other's markets.
"The first round of negotiations for the bilateral investment treaty are taking place... we (will) probably take sometime to do this," Deputy United States Trade Representative Demetrios Marantis told reporters here.
Commerce Minister Anand Sharma had taken up the treaty when he was in the US in June.
Mr. Marantis said the treaty would help in improving investments between India and the US -- the two countries that have held up a global trade pact since 2001 on differences over farm subsidies.
The two are also trying to bridge differences on the investment protection treaty.
The visiting US official said the treaty would provide "robust protection" to the Indian and US investors in each other's markets.
Assembly by-poll for 20 seats on Sept.10
J Balaji
NEW DELHI: The Election Commission has announced that Assembly by-election for 20 seats in six States and the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi will be held on September 10. The votes will be counted on September 14.
The Model Code of Conduct has come into force with immediate effect in the district (s) in which the whole or any part of the Assembly Constituency going for by-election is (are) included. The code is applicable to all the candidates, political parties, the State Governments and the Centre as far as those States are concerned.
The Assembly segments going to the poll are: Andhra Pradesh – Tekkali, Bihar - Bochaha (SC), Aurai, Kalyanpur, Warisnagar (SC), Ramgarh, Chainpur and Chenari (SC), Gujarat – Chotila, Jasdan, Dhoraji, Kodinar, Dehgam, Sami and Danta.
Madhya Pradesh – Gohad and Tendukheda, Sikkim – Namchi Singithong, Uttarakhand – Vikasnagar and NCT of Delhi – Dwarka.
The by-poll notification will be issued on August 17, and the last date of filing papers is August 24. They will be scrutinised on August 25 and the last date for withdrawal of candidature is August 27.
Mumbai attackers must be brought to justice: US Ambassador
Sandeep Dikshit
NEW DELHI: The US on Wednesday said it wanted the ``blood-thirsty'' terrorists behind the Mumbai attacks to be brought to justice. It also suggested better Indo-US intelligence cooperation in the form of sharing of information and modern American equipment that would help India shore up its defences against terrorism.
``We want to bring blood-thirsty perpetrators of Mumbai attacks to justice, wherever they are. And they include everybody you mention,'' the new US Ambassador to India Timoth Roemer said in response to a question whether after extensive intelligence sharing between India and US, Washington thought Jamat-ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Saeeed should also be prosecuted.
The veteran Democratic Party leader and a member of the 9/11 commission said he had been communicating to his Government after coming here on the need for Pakistan to bring to justice all those detained in the Mumbai attacks case. ``We have a common enemy with India. And we are pressing Pakistan hard on Mumbai suspects and we are very grateful for the close cooperation that we have with Indian government on counter-insurgency, fighting terrorism, intelligence sharing.''
Mr. Roemer felt that in the wake of close cooperation between Indian and US intelligence agencies after the Mumbai attacks, this proximity should be advanced to cover ``best equipment in the world'' to help India fight the ``common enemy'' of terrorism.
Pointing out that the US position to combating terrorism was ``firm, resolute and bold'', the US Ambassador said, ``we are committed to shutting down terrorist networks around the world and shutting down financing of those networks. We want to work with India and enhance our cooperation to achieve these results.''
Chief of Naval Staff reviews Eastern fleet
Staff Reporter
VISAKHAPATNAM: Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Sureesh Mehta, who is on a farewell visit to the city, reviewed the Eastern Fleet at sea on Wednesday.
The fleet and local flotilla took part in the operational display.
A ceremonial reception was accorded to him and Maria Teresa Mehta, president of Naval Wives Welfare Association (NWWA) on arrival at INS Dega airport. The couple was received by Vice-Admiral Nirmal Verma, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command (ENC) and Madhulika Verma, eastern region president of NWWA.
Vice-Admiral Verma and Rear Admiral Anurag G. Thapliyal, Flag Officer Commanding, Eastern Fleet accompanied the Chief of Naval Staff during the exercise at sea. The Admiral, during whose term India joined the elite nuclear-powered submarine club, will be accorded a ceremonial farewell at INS Circars Parade Ground on Thursday.
Admiral Mehta was at the helm of ENC from September 30, 2005 to October 26, 2006. Under his stewardship, the ENC had been involved in numerous operational missions in the Bay of Bengal and South East Asia, according to a release issued by the Navy.
The first-ever Presidential Fleet Review on the Eastern Seaboard was held during his tenure, which saw participation of over 66 ships and 50 aircraft of the combined Indian Fleet bringing the ENC and Visakhapatnam to the centre-stage.
The command continued to grow from strength to strength under his leadership from the integrated headquarters, adding new ships, air stations and squadron and extending its reach across the globe from Vladivostok, Russia in the Pacific Gulf undertaking joint exercises with major navies in the world.
hree Maoists killed in Rayagadha district
K. Srinivas Reddy
HYDERABAD: Three women Maoist cadres were shot dead in an exchange of fire at Oraahta village in Rayagadha district of Orissa on Wednesday morning. Police suspect that another senior Maoist leader Chamala Krishna Murthy alias Daya, a member of Anahdra Orissa Special Zonal Committee was also injured. Two .303 rifles, an INSAS rifle and five kit bags were recovered from the scene.
The Maoist team of over 12 members was said to have been sighted by the police teams in Vizianagaram district of Andhra Pradesh and a hot pursuit had begun. The naxals traded gun fire with policemen at Oraahta village of Orissa, about one kilometre from the Andhra Pradesh border, police said.
The slain were identified as P. Subadhra, alias Swarna (member of the divisional committee and wife of Chamala Krishna Murthy, alias Daya of the AOBSZC), Landa Rajeshwari, Area Committee member and wife of Gora Vallabha Rao, a senior Maoist leader, and a squad member, Jeevani.
http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/002200908122121.
Mamata hopeful of early Assembly elections
Raktima Bose
Battle ready: Union Railway Minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee addressing a meeting at Khudrun in Mangalkot on Tuesday.
KHUDRUN (BARDHAMAN DISTRICT): Expressing hope that the next West Bengal Assembly election, due in 2011, will take place earlier than scheduled, Railway Minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee said here on Tuesday that her party is "prepared to face the election heat any day."
Addressing a gathering organised in protest against the alleged attack on Trinamool leaders and supporters by the police here on August 8, Ms. Banerjee said: "Given the way in which the Communist Party of India (Marxist) is spreading terror and continually making political mistakes, I think that the next Assembly elections will take place much before than the scheduled date."
Criticising the State government and a section of the police for not having learnt its lessons from the Singur and Nandigram incidents, following which she claimed "the people have imposed Section 144 [of the Cr.PC] on the CPI(M) in the Lok Sabha elections," she said the Mangalkot incident will "ring the final siren of change that has taken over Bengal." Mangalkot, five km from here, has been a centre of political turmoil since June 15, when an influential CPI(M) leader was murdered by miscreants.
The CPI(M) alleged Trinamool's hand behind the murder. A Congress Legislature Party team, comprising senior State Congress leaders, was attacked by villagers while on a visit to one the villages in the region on July 15. Prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Cr.PC has been imposed in five villages of the region till August 31.
"Mangalkot is not outside the Constitution or the State or democracy. The CPI(M) cannot shut out people from entering the villages like this…I am taking oath in the name of Maa, Mati, Manush that none can stop us from liberating the people in those villages. I do not need police security to enter the villages," Ms. Banerjee said.
http://www.hindu.com/2009/08/12/stories/2009081257600700.htm
Tripartite meeting agrees to abolish Gorkha Hill Council
Special Correspondent| Alternative administrative framework to be set up in Darjeeling |
Union Home Secretary G. K. Pillai (right) greets Gorkha Janmukti Morcha leader Anmol Prasad before the tripartite talks to find a solution to the Gorkhaland statehood issue in New Delhi on Tuesday as West Bengal Chief Secretary Ashoke Mohan Chakraborty (left) and GJM coordinator Amar Lama look on.
NEW DELHI: At the tripartite talks held here on Tuesday, the Centre, the West Bengal government and the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha agreed in principle to abolish the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council and set up an alternative administrative framework in Darjeeling.
The meeting also decided to appoint an interlocutor to carry forward the discussions and send a Central team to Darjeeling to review the development works.
"It was agreed, in principle, to repeal the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council Act of 1988. The repeal of the Act will be in process as soon as an alternative administrative set-up /framework is finalised through mutual consultations and agreement," Union Home Secretary G.K. Pillai said after the meeting.
The meeting agreed that the proposal for establishing a hill council under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution would be dropped.
"The GJM promised that a peaceful and conducive atmosphere would be maintained, and all the parties agreed to work in a spirit of constructive cooperation to carry the talks forward," Mr. Pillai said. As an interim measure and to restore the democratic process, the Centre and the West Bengal government proposed elections to panchayat samitis, gram panchayats and municipalities. The GJM delegation promised to get back to the State government after consulting the party.
Fund utilisationThe West Bengal government informed the meeting that portions of the Central Relief Funds and Special Central Assistance, amounting to Rs.70 crore, were lying unutilised. "It was agreed that a team of State government officials would be sent to Darjeeling to discuss the utilisation of the funds," Mr. Pillai said.
At a press conference later, Amar Lama, a GJM Central Committee member who led the 13-member delegation to the talks, described the outcome as "fruitful."
Flanked by Jaswant Singh, senior BJP leader and Darjeeling MP, Mr. Lama said the decisions marked a "forward movement" towards creation of a Gorkhaland State, for which the GJM intensified its stir 22 months ago. While the Centre was represented by the Home Secretary and the Additional Secretary in the Home Ministry, the West Bengal government sent its Chief Secretary and the Home Secretary. The next round of talks will be held in Darjeeling on December 21.
http://www.hindu.com/2009/08/12/stories/2009081260521200.htm
Too proud middle classes failing to claim their benefits as unemployment hits 14-year high of 2.4million
By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 3:47 PM on 12th August 2009
An official inquiry into unemployment and benefit figures has been launched after it was revealed three quarters of a million middle-class unemployed are choosing not to claim welfare payments.
The inquiry, ordered by work and pensions secretary Yvette Cooper, will study why so many unemployed in the deepest recession in decades are living off redundancy payments or savings but not claiming benefit.
"It's fairly open. The key issue is establishing why there is a difference in the trends of the key figures," a spokesman for the Department of Work and Pensions said.
Figures today reveal unemployment has increased by a further 220,000 to a 14-year high of 2.4million.
Job hunters: People enter a Jobcentre in London today as new figures show unemployment has increased by a further 220,000 but three quarters of a million middle-class unemployed are choosing not to claim welfare payments
The number of people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance increased by 24,900 in July to 1.58million - its worst level for more than 12 years, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
This marks the 17th month in a row where the so-called claimant count has increased in the UK.
Soaring unemployment is also hitting young people hard, prompting new fears of a 'lost generation'.
The jobless rate among 18-24 year olds is around one in six and closing in on the all-time high of 17.8% set in March 1993 in the wake of the 1990s recession.
There was further grim news from The Bank of England, which forecast today that the economy would shrink by around 5.5% at the lowest point this year before beginning its recovery.
The Bank's inflation report said the recession "appeared deeper than previously estimated" but pointed to "encouraging signs" that its unprecedented monetary stimulus was taking effect.
Bank governor Mervyn King said: "It is likely that output stabilised in the middle of this year, and business surveys and other short-run indicators suggest that growth is more likely than not to resume over the next few quarters."
In its quarterly inflation report, the Bank forecast that the inflation benchmark used by rate-setters would stay well below its 2% target for much of the coming two years.
Mr King said it was more likely than not that he will need to write to Chancellor Alistair Darling later this year to explain why inflation has fallen more than one percentage point below the target.
Recession 'deeper than expected': Bank Governor Mervyn King at a press conference after delivering the quarterly inflation report in London
The Bank said that, while the economy had shrunk more than expected at the beginning of the year, the pace of contraction had slowed and stronger results from business surveys "suggested that the trough in output was near".
Yet as another raft of dire financial news showed the economy was deteriorating further and unemployment continuing to rise, the government is keen to find out why benefit claims have failed to keep pace.
There is a large gap between the unemployment rate, which stands at 7.6 per cent, and the proportion of the population claiming Jobseeker's Allowance, which is 4.8 per cent.
There is speculation that this is partly because some of those being laid off are well-paid City workers, too proud or simply not bothered enough to enter a Jobcentre queue.
But many causalities of the 'white collar recession' include 'second earners', many of whom are women, who are choosing to live off their partner's wages, while others might not be claiming because they were hoping to get another job quickly.
Getting to the point: Lord Mandelson says the unemployment figures are 'unacceptable'
Lord Mandelson admitted that today's unemployment figures were "unacceptable" but he failed to spell out how Labour would tackle the growing crisis, instead turning his attention to the Tories: "One thing I and the Government know is that any such level of unemployment is unacceptable.
"The question is, what is the Government doing about it, and what would be the level of unemployment if the Government had not intervened in the economy in the way in which we have?"
Lord Mandelson added: "We are now investing £5 billion on helping people into jobs and helping those who, through no fault of their own, are finding themselves unemployed.
"Incidentally, that is £5 billion, which is exactly the equivalent of the sum that the Conservatives say they would cut from public spending, take straight out of the economy as we try to get out of this recession."
Howard Archer, chief UK economist at IHS Global Insight, said unemployment looked set to rise above 3million in 2010 and could reach 3.2million.
He added: "The outlook for the labour market still looks pretty horrible, despite mounting signs that the economy could achieve modest growth in the third quarter.
"Unemployment is a lagging indicator and the sharp economic contraction suffered between the second quarter of 2008 and the second quarter of 2009 will continue to weigh down on the labour market for an extended period."
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1206022/Embarrassed-middle-classes-shun-benefits-unemployment-hits-14-year-high-2-4million.html?ITO=1490#ixzz0NzRGnYPw
- Too proud middle classes failing to claim their benefits as unemployment hits 14-year high
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Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1206022/Embarrassed-middle-classes-shun-benefits-unemployment-hits-14-year-high-2-4million.html?ITO=1490#ixzz0NzRRy6u8
| CPM search for fresh blood |
| BISWAJIT ROY |
| Calcutta, Aug. 10: The problems of ageing and poor health are not only plaguing the Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee government but also the CPM leadership in Bengal. The party has decided to induct new members into the powerful state secretariat in a bid to rejuvenate its organisation before it faces a resurgent Opposition in the 2011 Assembly polls. Sources said the August 1-2 state committee meeting had approved the decision to revamp the organisation. The death of transport minister Subhas Chakraborty has created a vacancy in the secretariat but more than one new face will be inducted to ensure "agility and mobility", a party leader said. Chakraborty and former MP Mohammad Salim got into the body last year. "We need to promote younger people in the leadership as some of the secretariat members are now old and ailing. Also, new faces are required to share the organisational responsibilities of the chief minister and some other senior ministers who would focus more on the government's course correction ahead of the Assembly polls," said a senior CPM leader. The senior-most secretariat member after 95-year-old Jyoti Basu, who is unable to go to the party office anymore, is octogenarian Benoy Konar, who needs frequent hospitalisation. Although much junior to them, industries minister Nirupam Sen, housing minister Gautam Deb and Citu state president Shyamal Chakraborty are also not well. The secretariat members are in charge of the organisation in specific districts, some of them handling more than one. The process to pick the new faces has begun with state party secretary Biman Bose, Bhattacharjee and Sen — all politburo members — expected to reach a "preliminary consensus" before placing the list in the full secretariat. Senior Calcutta leader Rabin Deb, land reforms minister Abdur Rezzak Mollah, former Lok Sabha MPs Hannan Mollah, Tarit Topdar and Sujan Chakraborty and former Rajya Sabha MP Nilotpal Basu are among the names circulating inside the party as the likely new faces. Although both Mollah and Basu are members of the party's central secretariat and based in Delhi, they may be called back in view of the "crisis situation". Deb and Mollah's names had come up last time too. But the latter's discord with Bhattacharjee and Sen over land acquisition, which he believed had cost the Left traditional farmer votes, might mar his prospects. Mollah is believed to have told the brass he wants to be relieved of his government job for the sake of the party. As the leadership appears keen to tap the popularity of the late Subhas Chakraborty, leaders known to be close to him are likely to find berths, sources said. Elderly district secretaries like Purulia's Nakul Mahato, Hooghly's Binod Das and South 24 Parganas' Santimoy Bhattacharjee are also likely to be replaced. Smarting under its worst ever poll debacle, the party desperately needs to pull up its socks, particularly in the city and its adjoining districts, where it failed to win a single Lok Sabha seat. But it could be easier said than done as the recent token shuffle in the government revealed. Several ailing ministers had to be retained because of factional pressures. |
| Maoist strike |
| Midnapore: A CPM leader's son was tried in a kangaroo court and killed at Dherua near Lalgarh, a Maoist guerrilla claimed on Monday night. The place is only about 30km from Midnapore, where the chief minister will be on Tuesday. The body of Paritosh Mahato, 38, is yet to be traced. |
| Mangalkot |
| Burdwan, Aug. 10: A day ahead of Mamata Banerjee's visit to Mangalkot, the Burdwan administration today extended till August 31 the prohibitory orders under Section 144. Mamata will hold a rally at the same place, 3km from the restricted area, where her supporters stoned police on Saturday, prompting a lathicharge |
| Green flag must for Mamata | ||
| SANJAY MANDAL | ||
Calcutta, Aug. 10: The fates of one industrial unit Mamata Banerjee has proposed and one she has opposed now appear to hinge on one factor — an environment clearance. The state forest department today said it could not hand over the forest land in Purulia's Adra to the railways for a thermal power plant without permission from the central environment and forest ministry. Railway officials have chosen 1,032 acres there for the 1000MW plant announced by the railway minister in her budget. The land belongs to the railways but they had leased it to the state forest department for an afforestation drive 15 years ago and renewed it for another 10 years in 2008. A Supreme Court directive bars the use of "forest land for non-forest purposes" without the Union environment ministry's nod. "The railways will not be allowed to set up non-forest projects on forest land unless they get a clearance from the Union environment and forest ministry," said the state's principal chief conservator of forests A railway official conceded that if they had to go ahead with the project in Adra, it would be at the expense of some three lakh trees. "This is the only stretch available with us in the area for the project," he said. "If the land isn't available, the plant's future will become uncertain," he added. A 1,000MW plant requires around 1,000 acres. A joint team of the railways and the National Thermal Power Corporation — a partner in the project — conducted a survey and selected the spot. The land, barren when handed to the forest department, is now a sea of lush green. Railway officials said they would soon discuss the issue with the Union environment ministry. "We will hold talks on the rules on afforesting another area to compensate for the loss of greenery," the official said. The railway minister was not available for comment. According to railway sources, its officials had had informal talks with the local forest department, which said it would be difficult to obtain permission to fell so many trees. However, the Union ministry has in the past approved projects such as mining and hydropower generation on 1,000 acres or more of forests. Projects that require felling have to pay compensatory afforestation funds to state governments. A panel of experts determines the amount if the project is approved. The funds are to be used to rebuild lost forests elsewhere in the state or conservation. The chemical hub proposed by the state government on Nayachar island off Haldia is also awaiting clearance from the Union environment ministry. The project, which Mamata had opposed citing an ecologically fragile area, cannot take off without Delhi's "green" signal. NTPC officials said the Adra plant would take three ye- ars to complete after the final clearance. Mamata plea Mamata today asked her education counterpart Kapil Sibal to act "urgently" to legalise degrees of thousands of teacher trainees from institutions declared illegal by the Calcutta High Court, our special correspondent reports from Delhi. Sources said human resource development minister Sibal did not give the railway minister any assurance that the National Commission for Teacher Education would pardon violations in its norms by the institutes. He said the NCTE was "studying (its) options". |
| Green flag must for Mamata | ||
| SANJAY MANDAL | ||
Calcutta, Aug. 10: The fates of one industrial unit Mamata Banerjee has proposed and one she has opposed now appear to hinge on one factor — an environment clearance. The state forest department today said it could not hand over the forest land in Purulia's Adra to the railways for a thermal power plant without permission from the central environment and forest ministry. Railway officials have chosen 1,032 acres there for the 1000MW plant announced by the railway minister in her budget. The land belongs to the railways but they had leased it to the state forest department for an afforestation drive 15 years ago and renewed it for another 10 years in 2008. A Supreme Court directive bars the use of "forest land for non-forest purposes" without the Union environment ministry's nod. "The railways will not be allowed to set up non-forest projects on forest land unless they get a clearance from the Union environment and forest ministry," said the state's principal chief conservator of forests A railway official conceded that if they had to go ahead with the project in Adra, it would be at the expense of some three lakh trees. "This is the only stretch available with us in the area for the project," he said. "If the land isn't available, the plant's future will become uncertain," he added. A 1,000MW plant requires around 1,000 acres. A joint team of the railways and the National Thermal Power Corporation — a partner in the project — conducted a survey and selected the spot. The land, barren when handed to the forest department, is now a sea of lush green. Railway officials said they would soon discuss the issue with the Union environment ministry. "We will hold talks on the rules on afforesting another area to compensate for the loss of greenery," the official said. The railway minister was not available for comment. According to railway sources, its officials had had informal talks with the local forest department, which said it would be difficult to obtain permission to fell so many trees. However, the Union ministry has in the past approved projects such as mining and hydropower generation on 1,000 acres or more of forests. Projects that require felling have to pay compensatory afforestation funds to state governments. A panel of experts determines the amount if the project is approved. The funds are to be used to rebuild lost forests elsewhere in the state or conservation. The chemical hub proposed by the state government on Nayachar island off Haldia is also awaiting clearance from the Union environment ministry. The project, which Mamata had opposed citing an ecologically fragile area, cannot take off without Delhi's "green" signal. NTPC officials said the Adra plant would take three ye- ars to complete after the final clearance. Mamata plea Mamata today asked her education counterpart Kapil Sibal to act "urgently" to legalise degrees of thousands of teacher trainees from institutions declared illegal by the Calcutta High Court, our special correspondent reports from Delhi. Sources said human resource development minister Sibal did not give the railway minister any assurance that the National Commission for Teacher Education would pardon violations in its norms by the institutes. He said the NCTE was "studying (its) options". |
| Gandhi letter to stress neutrality |
| OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT |
| Calcutta, Aug. 10: Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi today sent a letter to chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and a copy of it to Left Front chief Biman Bose, explaining his statement on the political violence in the state and emphasising his "neutrality", CPM sources said. The letter was apparently triggered by the criticism of his statement on the "veritable tandava of political violence", which the Left said was "not impartial" as the governor had not expressed his concern in public about the violence unleashed by Maoists against CPM sympathisers. Also appended with the letter were copies of the governor's earlier statements to reaffirm his impartiality. In the copy to Bose, CPM sources said he attached a forwarding note saying he had explained to the chief minister why the allegations were inaccurate. Gandhi hoped it would clear the air. Although the CPM had publicly criticised him in harsher words earlier, this is the first time Gandhi has stressed his impartiality. According to CPM sources, Gandhi pointed out to the chief minister how he had released a statement conveying his "sense of shock" over the blast on the chief minister's route near Midnapore last November and the "great relief" over the fact that no harm had come to him. On June 3, Gandhi had said: "I am grieved to learn of the death of three police personnel and injury to some others on duty at Sarenga at the hands of terrorism." The trio had been shot dead by suspected Maoists. Neither Raj Bhavan nor the CPM disclosed the contents of today's letter or spoke on it. CPM sources said Gandhi had pointed out that he had always tried to uphold constitutional propriety. However, a party leader wondered why the letter was sent to the chief minister when he had not questioned the contents of the governor's statement. Sources said the governor, in his note to Bose, expressed hope that the chief minister would be able to explain Gandhi's "impartiality" to the front chief who, in turn, could convey it to the ranks. Bhattacharjee and Bose kept mum on the issue, but party state secretariat member Shyamal Chakraborty said: "The governor is an educated gentleman with humane values. But we only objected when we found his humane values came into play selectively." |
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1090811/jsp/nation/story_11346138.jsp
| A zoo called Bengal politics | |
| ZEESHAN JAWED AND BISWARUP DUTTA | |
Calcutta, Aug. 10: Formidable figures of Manmohan Singh, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi today took position at strategic locations on the Alipore zoo premises, presumably keeping a hawk eye on potential monkey thieves. Rigging up loudspeakers, shouting slogans, marching about and insulting officials, Bengal's political circus today wound its way to the zoo as the Congress and the Trinamul Congress vied with each other to prove which party loves animals more. The occasion to express solidarity with the caged creatures was provided by the theft of eight Common Marmosets from the zoo on Sunday. The first to troop in were Trinamul supporters. The party's councillor from Ward 82, Firhad Hakim, led a procession of 150-odd supporters around the zoo to register their protest. Few corners were spared, possibly to convince the occupants who their real champions are, just in case animals get voting rights by 2011. Around 1pm, after the Trinamul wildlife enthusiasts left, Congress MP Deepa Das Munshi reached the zoo. No, she did not get her timing wrong — the party cannot be accused of such transgressions after the alacrity with which it enforced a bandh to protest the Mangalkot violence. The Congress chose to roar — helped by loudspeakers tied to the landmark arch of the zoo — just when the animals were settling down after lunch. Post-lunch, nothing can be as soothing as a cacophony of Congress slogans. But the supporters of Deepa, whose rivalry with Mamata Banerjee is well known, had come fortified with the heaviest artillery in the Congress war machine, never mind that it was made of cardboard. Oversized hoardings of the party's triumvirate of Sonia, Manmohan and Rahul sprang up on the zoo premises. If the paper tigers were not enough, a hoarding of Deepa was also erected. Perhaps, in keeping with the cub category, the leader of the Congress-affiliated zoo union had to be content with a smaller hoarding. It is not known whether Trinamul will showcause Hakim for the slip of not bringing a Mamata hoarding that could have towered over the one featuring Deepa. While the grown-ups were busy making life more difficult for the trapped animals, young visitors to the zoo were taken aback. "I was a little surprised when I saw huge figures of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi inside the zoo. For a minute, I thought they were visiting the zoo," said 13-year-old Tanya Ghosh, who had come to the zoo with her family. Tanya's — intended or unintended — humour was lost on the wounded lovers of animals who competed with each other to shout slogans. According to rules framed by the managing committee of the zoo, use of public address systems and shouting slogans on the premises is not allowed. An FIR can be lodged against offenders and a case can be pursued. But given the state administration's ability to look the other way when laws are broken, it is unlikely that such matters will be given priority. As far as the placement of hoardings of VIPs on the premises goes, no law has been laid down, possibly because the managing committee did not have the "foresight" to anticipate such innovations. Zoo director S.K. Chowdhury also got an earful from the Congress leaders. "Till the time monkeys occupy this chair, animals like Common Marmosets will keep disappearing from the zoo," Kanak Dev Nath, a Congress leader, told the director. Chowdhury was suspended by the government in the evening but not before a phone was thrown at him by the Congress protesters. (See Metro) Tanya, the little visitor to the zoo, left soon after she and her family realised what was going on. The poor animals inside the cages did not have that option. |
Mangalkot
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Mangalkot | |
| | |
| Country |  India |
| State | West Bengal |
| District(s) | Barddhaman |
| Population | 233,968 (2001[update]) |
| Time zone | IST (UTC+5:30) |
| Area • Elevation | • 36 m (118 ft) |
Coordinates: 23°33′N 87°54′E / 23.55°N 87.9°E / 23.55; 87.9 Mangalkot (Bengali: মঙ্গলকোট) is a town with a police station, a community development block and assembly constituency in Katwa subdivision of Barddhaman district in the Indian state of West Bengal.
Contents[hide] |
[edit] History
Damage to embankments of the Ajay and consequent flooding was a regular problem in the Ausgram and Mangalkot area. The devastating flood of 1943 caused immense suffering and lead to a mass movement for restoration/ repair of the embankments. A massive meeting was organised at Guskara in 1944, with Uday Chand Mahtab, Maharaja of Bardhaman. However, the government did not take any action. Ultimately, the Communist Party, which had been at the forefront of agitations for some years, provided a huge work force for the purpose and completed the repair work. It laid the foundation for the party's popularity in the area.[1]
[edit] Geography
Mangalkot is located at 23°33′N 87°54′E / 23.55°N 87.90°E / 23.55; 87.90.[2] It has an average elevation of 36 m (118 ft).
The Asansol-Durgapur region is composed of undulating latterite soil. This area lies between two mighty rivers – the Damodar and the Ajay. They flow almost parallel to each other in the region – the average distance between the two rivers is around 30 km. For ages the area was heavily forested and infested with plunderers and marauders. The discovery of coal led to industrialisation of the area and most of the forests have been cleared.[3]
Kunur River, one of main tributaries of the Ajay, 112 km in length, has its origin near Bansgara in the Faridpur police station area. With water from several small streams swelling it during the monsoons, it often floods large areas of Ausgram and Mangalkot police stations. It joins the Ajay near Ujani village.[4]
[edit] Demographics
In the 2001 census, Mangalkot community development block had a population of 233,968 out of which 120,535 were males and 113,423 were females. The Block had a literacy of 59.4 per cent. [5]
[edit] Politics
Sadhana Mallik of CPI(M) won the Mangalkot assembly seat in 2006, 2001, and 1996 defeating Abdul Based Shekh of AITC in 2006, Chandranath Mukherjee of AITC in 2001, and Absar Nurul Mondal of INC in 1996. Samar Baora of CPI(M) defeated Hriday Kishan Sar of INC in 1991. Nikhilananda Sar of CPI(M) defeated Jagadish Dutta of INC in 1987, Seikh Borshed of INC in 1982, and Madan Chowdhury of INC in 1977.[6]
Mangalkot assembly constituency is part of Bolpur (Lok Sabha constituency).[7]
[edit] References
- ^ Chattopadhyay, Akkori, Bardhaman Jelar Itihas O Lok Sanskriti (History and Folk lore of Bardhaman District.), (Bengali) , Vol I, p. 482 , Radical Impression. ISBN 81-85459-36-3
- ^ "Mangalkot, India Page". Falling Rain Genomics. http://www.fallingrain.com/world/IN/28/Mangalkot.html. Retrieved on 2007-09-21.
- ^ Chattopadhyay, Akkori, pp 14-15
- ^ Chattopadhyay, Akkori, p.35
- ^ "Mangalkot CD Block". Bardhaman District authority, Government of West Bengal. http://bardhaman.nic.in/blocks/mongalkote.htm. Retrieved on 2007-09-21.
- ^ "281 - Mangalkot Assembly Constituency". Partywise comparison since 1977. Election Commission of India. http://archive.eci.gov.in/ElectionAnalysis/AE/S25/Partycomp281.htm. Retrieved on 2007-09-21.
- ^ "General election to the Legislative Assembly, 2001 – List of Parliamentary and Assembly Constituencies". West Bengal. Election Commission of India. http://archive.eci.gov.in/se2001/background/S25/WB_ACPC.pdf. Retrieved on 2007-09-19.
Prachanda as chief of international Maoists?
Hindustan Times
After being ousted as Nepalese prime minister, speculation is rife that Prachanda has gone to London to drum up support to become the chief of international Maoists.
Reports say that the Maoist chief embarked on a week-long visit to London to secretly take part in the convention of Revolutionary International Movement (RIM), the global umbrella organisation of radical communists.
Maoist chief Prachanda Saturday left for London at a time when his party is in the midst of launching an agitation aiming to topple the CPN-UML led coalition government.
This is Prachanda's first tour abroad since the Maoist government led by him collapsed in May, this year.
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Maoists kill police 'informers'
RAYAGADA, 9 AUG: Armed Maoists shot dead two persons, Siba Sankar and Bibhisan Mahanandia, suspecting them to be police informers, in Chandrapur area of Rayagada district in the wee hours today.
Some suspected Red rebels struck in Gudibali and Godarguda village and killed the two persons in separate incidents.
While Sabar was killed outside Gudibali gram panchayat office, Mahanandia was killed at Godarguda village, police sources said.
The Maoists had reportedly slit the throat of the two before firing at them, killing them on the spot.
It may be mentioned here that the ultras had killed another youth, Gopinath Lima, in Gudari area of the district a few days ago, while observing Martyrs' Week. ;SNS
Tatas start work in Kalinga Nagar
BHUBANESWAR, 9 AUG: Structural fabrication work for the steel melt shop of Tata Steel Plant at Kalinga Nagar is in full swing as company authorities are keen to expedite work for the much delayed project.
The company has mobilised enough resources for the construction of the six million ton per annum steel plant at Kalinga Nagar which has been delayed for over two years due to resistance by a section of the people who would be displaced once the project took off.
The project sustained a major blow a couple of years ago when ground levelling work was opposed by tribals. They killed a policeman in the process which resulted in further oppositions resulting in death of as many as 14 tribals.
Since then a strong resistance movement led by Vistapan Virodhi Janamanch had debarred company people and government authorities from entering the site area.
The company, however, continued to work overtime in initiating social and livelihood generation activities. Unfazed by the protests and delays, it formed a Tata Steel Parivar comprising of local people, built a rehabilitation colony and trained some of the locals. ;SNS
Tribal girls flee school alleging harassment
;Statesman News Service
PARALAKHEMUNDI, 9 AUG: A number of girl students in class IX and X, all of whom are tribals, in the N Jhalarsing Kanyashram of the Nuagada block of Gajapati district, have run away from their school alleging ill treatment and misbehaviour by some of the school teachers. They have expressed unwillingness to return to the school until the culprit teachers are punished and some substantial measures are taken for their safety.
Sources said that the girls, victims of eve teasing and lewd remarks, had taken the decision to leave the school, meet and apprise the block development officer, Nuagada, of the incident.
According to the Zilla Parishad member representing the Nuagada block, Mr Labina Raita, the girls met him by chance when he had come to the block office. He found a group of girls loitering around the office and learnt that they had come to meet the BDO. But as it was a second Saturday, and the office was closed, they were wondering what to do.
He came to know that the girls had trekked more than 19km to reach the block headquarters, as their school is located in Sambalpur gram panchayat of this block which borders Udayagiri. The block chairman Mr Dalima Dalabehra who also coincidently happened to be there was informed about the plight of the girls.
Later, the district collector and other senior officers like the project administrator, ITDA (Integrated Tribal Development Authority), were informed of the matter, who promised a full fledged enquiry into the incident.
"Whoever is responsible for the girls fleeing from the hostel will be punished," said the collector Mr Praksah Chandra Das .
The N Jhalrsing hostel is meant for poor and backward tribals and houses girls from Class VI to Class X. As the village is located in a remote area there are very few visits by the administration to this area. Being a naxal infested area, the school in-charge officers tend to avoid going to this spot. Taking advantage of the innocence prevalent amongst the tribal girls, a few teachers in charge of the students have allegedly tried to exploit the situation.
13 rescued from child labour fate
;Statesman News Service
JAGATSINGHPUR, 9 AUG: Tirtol police have rescued 13 children, who were about to be sent to Mumbai as child labourers, today. The alleged contractor, who was accompanying the children, was also nabbed at Tirtol police station and later produced in court.
The accused has been identified as one Mr Hemant Kumar Barik of Bilaspur village under Pattakura police station of Kendrapara district. The children are from poverty-stricken families of Kankandiha village under Tirtol police station limits.
It is often alleged that the labour mafias, usually labour contractors, lure children from poor families of the rural areas to work in metro cities like Mumbai, promising a handsome monthly remuneration. A common method is tempting unemployed youths from the villages to search for gullible families and persuade them to send their children to other states.
In return, the youths get some money as commission from the labourer contractors. Some unscrupulous labour department officials are allegedly hand-in-glove with the contractors in such incidents. In most of the cases, the children, once they have arrived at their destination, are forced to do hazardous jobs. While there is no regular remuneration, they are often tortured. Their health and other amenities are often neglected.
Police sources said Barik had assured the families of the children Rs 3,000-Rs 4,000 per head per family.
He had also promised that while working in a cosmetic company in Mumbai, all their needs, including health needs, would be cared for.
Ministry nod for Vedanta project
NEW DELHI, 9 AUG: A committee of the environment ministry has given a green signal to the Vedanta Group to set up its University in over 6,000 acres of land on the Puri-Konark marine drive in Orissa, notwithstanding protests from locals and activists.
Raising environmental concerns, locals have been protesting against the state government's move to acquire land alleging that it would not only displace residents of 22 villages but also threaten the wildlife habitat in the region. The main concern of the locals is that the government is offering community land to the MNC (Vedanta Group) in the name of education without keeping in mind the interests of people in the area.
"Balukanda sanctuary which is a deer habitat and has water bodies has been offered to Vedanta on a platter," alleged Mr Vasudev, an activist of the Vedanta Vishvidhayala Virodhi Sangarsh Samiti.
However, University CEO Mr CV Krishnan rejected the allegations and pointed out that the project is coming up on non-forest sallow land and only around 150 villagers were affected and that they have been given suitable compensation. "People who have no direct concern with the project are unnecessarily making it an issue," Mr Krishnan added.
The proposal was cleared recently by the members of Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) which noted that: "The state government is in the final stages of transferring about 4,000 acres of land, acquired by it for the project to be set up by Anil Agarwal Foundation."
Growth met, but need to do more
;Statesman News Service
BHUBANESWAR, 9 AUG: "It is a historical moment for Orissa because the state already has investment of over Rs 85,000 crore on the ground and the GDP rate has been above the national average for four successive years," said BJD MP Mr Baijayanta Panda at the annual day celebration of Utkal Chamber of Commerce and Industry here today. He said it was sad that the state did not get due recognition and urged upon all stakeholders to 'spread the good word' as that would help attract more investors.
Mr Panda suggested that investors must be made aware of ground level investments that have been made in the state and the rate of GDP achieved by it which would thereby make up for the innumerable MoUs entailing proposals close to 6 lakh crore.
"Orissa was lagging behind in all spheres and was given the status of a backward state, but the scenario is fast changing because of huge investments that have been ten times more than in the last 55 years. The Rs 85,000 crore invested already in the state over the last five years is actually ten times more than the investment that had come up during the previous 55 years," Mr Panda said.
The growth, Mr Panda, mentioned had enabled the government to achieve a fiscal turnaround, from virtual bankruptcy, in 1999, to a revenue surplus today. The surplus generated has also facilitated the government to pump in more money for social welfare programmes such as subsiding rice, introducing new pro-poor schemes etc," stated Mr Panda. This has eventually benefitted the education and service sector also. He said several mega-industries were coming up in the state that would facilitate growth in medium and small scale sectors.
Also present at the function, Mr Prafulla Chandra Ghadei, state finance minister, said there was absolutely no doubt that the state had progressed but also mentioned problems Orissa suffered from.
The finance minister went on to cite the delay in establishing the proposed corridor or cluster for small and medium industries. Mr Ghadei said: "Look at how companies like Tata Steel and Essar have been struggling for years to start new projects despite all the support they hace got from state governments. A few people protest and the projects get delayed for years together." He said Mr Naveen Patnaik was a lucky leader for the state because of which Orissa had been able to produce a surplus despite the global meltdown.
Revenue minister Mr Suryanarayan Patro discussed land acquisition related problems faced by most of the industrial projects, and claimed that if investors made a proper study of ground realities they would face no such problems. He cited the example of an alumina plant in Lanjigarh where people had readily welcomed the project.
Talking about the two classes that have been created – Mr Patro said almost half of the population is landless and we need to address this issue.
Mr V Saran, president of the Indian Chamber of Commerce, asked the state government to co-operate with the Centre in order to recieve a greater share of the coal block allotment. He also said Paradip Port should treat industries based in the state more carefully. It is strange that Talcher Coal gets shipped to southern states of the country while eastern states are importing coal, he added.
Mr Niranjan Mohanty, president, UCCI, gave a comprehensive presentation on the vision, mission and strategy to be adopted by the chamber for the development of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the state through Vision Document 2030.
http://www.thestatesman.net/page.news.php?clid=9&theme=&usrsess=1&id=264002
Maoists behead former comrade in H'bag
| HAZARIBAG: A group of four Maoists beheaded their comrade, Baldeo Besra, on Sunday. The incident occurred between Nagi and Chano panchayats of The SP said the 50-year-old Besra was a former Maoist Communist Centre cadre, now known as CPI (Maoist), and was involved in several Naxalite-related cases. He was also arrested by the Hazaribag police and released on bail about a year ago. Kamboj said Besra was regularly attending the sessions court here in connection with the trial of his case. But the SP said he was not a police informer as claimed by the Maoists. The SP said the four Maoists went to the residence of the deceased and asked him to accompany them for some discussion. As soon as Besra was taken to the jungle near Nagi, he was beheaded with a sharp weapon. The Maoists then escaped with his head, which police are yet to recover. In the note attached to the body, thrown on the Nagi-Chano road, the Maoists have accused Besra of being an informer and also warned others of meeting with the same fate if they dared to follow Besra. The SP claimed that the Maoists, demoralized by the recent arrests of important Maoists, committed this grisly crime to terrorize villagers in that belt. He said there was no logic behind killing Besra. He said the body has been sent for post-mortem. Kamboj said a top-level team headed by the DSP (headquarters), Naushad Alam, and a CRPF team have rushed to the area to track down the Maoists. | ||
| More Stories from this section | ||
Cong to hold rally at Mangalkot to keep the fire aliveIndian Express - Aug 6, 2009 The state Congress will organise a rally at Mangalkot in Burdwan on August 9, nearly three weeks after eight party MLAs were attacked by alleged CPM cadres ... Violence marks protests in West BengalHindu - Jul 16, 2009 The party supporters were protesting the attack on a Congress Legislature Party (CLP) team at Mangalkot in Bardhaman district on Wednesday. ... One Cong supporter died, 5 injured in clash with WB police Times of India Cong shows strength with successful Bengal bandh Economic Times Congress leaders attacked at Mangalkot Press Trust of India Congress team attacked at MangalkotHindu - - Jul 15, 2009 ... Party (CLP) team was on Wednesday attacked allegedly by supporters of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) at Mangalkot in Bardhaman district. ... LAW OF THE TURF Calcutta Telegraph 'Govt had no info on Cong leaders' Mangalkote visit' Press Trust of India Mangalkot justifies attack on MLAsCalcutta Telegraph - Jul 24, 2009 Mangalkot, July 24: Scores of women today broke down in front of visiting Left legislators in Mangalkot and said their men had stoned the Congress ... Teary women seek justice for slain cadre Calcutta Telegraph Mangalkot cops sparedCalcutta Telegraph - Jul 20, 2009 Nine Congress MLAs, who went to Dhanyarukhi village in Mangalkot on Wednesday to distribute relief among party workers hit by clashes with the CPM, ... Govt gives clean The Statesman State issues writ for Mangalkot entry Indian Express Cong calls for CBI probe in Mangalkot CPM leader's killingIndian Express - Jul 29, 2009 The state Congress on Wednesday demanded a CBI inquiry into the CPM leader's murder in Mangalkot in June following allegations that the killers were ... Cong holds CPI(M) responsible for violence in BengalPress Trust of India - Aug 8, 2009 Bhuniya, a WBPCC vice-president who was chased and thrashed along with eight of his party MLAs on July 15 allegedly by CPI(M) activists at Mangalkot in ... Mangalkot violence: Cops fled scene as mob attacked Cong MLAsIndian Express - Jul 23, 2009 After visiting Mangalkot in Burdwan district, where a team of Congress MLAs were assaulted allegedly by CPM supporters, the state Human Rights Commission ... |
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A day after eight rare species of marmosets (Brazilian monkeys) were stolen from the century-old Alipore zoo here, the West Bengal government today suspended its director Subir Choudhury as police arrested two private guards on duty at the time of the theft.
"The next director will be named shortly," state Forest Minister Ananta Roy told PTI.
An alert was sounded in the state's border areas and security tightened in Howrah and Sealdah railway stations as also in the airport to prevent smuggling of the marmosets.
Officials said the two private guards in charge of the cages where the monkeys were kept had been arrested and a CID team visited the zoo during the day.
Zoo sources said the matter came to light yesterday when attendants found a part of the monkeys' cage broken and eight of the simians missing. The matter was under investigation.
"The joint operation of the security forces has failed as it was bound to. The West Bengal government should brace itself for further failures in near future," Maoist leader Bikas said on Friday, a day after the government admitted that the security operation for flushing out the Maoists could not achieve expected results.
Speaking over the phone from his hideout somewhere in the Lalgarh region, Mr. Bikas told The Hindu that the State took "too much time" to admit that what the Maoists have been claiming form the start. Holding out a warning against any "misstep" by the State government, he said: "It will not be easy for the security forces to go back from here [Lalgarh]. We will see to it."
Asked about the tactics that they intend to adopt given the fact that the State government has decided to take up "area-specific strategies" within the next 15-20 days, he said: "We do not create unnecessary hype about our tactics. The government talks tall about its plans only to fail afterwards."
Referring to the local support as the foundation of their success so far, he said the forces will continue facing resistance from the people.
Regarding the two policemen who have gone missing since July 30 and remain untraced till date, Mr. Bikas said the Maoists are not responsible for the incident. He, however, pointed out to the possibility of the policemen facing public wrath for their involvement in alleged atrocities against local people.
He also refuted the Maoists' role in the recent spate of killing of supporters of Jharkhand Party (Naren).
Mangalkot in West Bengal's Bardhaman district, which shot into the news in July after senior Congress leaders had to flee following a confrontation with a violent mob, witnessed violence again on Saturday when a team of Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders tried to hold a meeting at an adjacent village.
Prohibitory orders were in force in seven villages there.
An angry TMC chief Mamata Banerjee announced that she would visit the area next week and hold a meeting at the very spot from which her party-men were dispersed. "I will myself go and address a meeting from the same spot, let me see what they do" she said in an instant reaction.
"We will not flee," Ms. Banerjee said later, in an oblique reference to the incident when a Congress team, led by Manas Bhunia, Congress Legislature Party leader, had to run through swampy paddy fields to escape a rampaging mob. The team had gone there to provide relief to party workers whom, they said, had come under attack from the Communist Party of India (Marxist).
The team of seven TMC leaders on Saturday was led by the Suvendu Adhikari, Member of Parliament and the new leader of the party's youth wing. The TMC had earlier made unsuccessful attempts to enter Mangalkot, which has seen repeated clashes over the last few months.
Police said the trouble was sparked when stones were pelted at the team by Trinamool supporters who had gathered at Khudruni for their meeting. The police lathi-charged the crowd and fired teargas shells. Two police vehicles were also set on fire.
"Beyond democracy?"
Questioning the clamping of prohibitory orders like Section 144 in Mangalkot and adjacent areas, Ms. Banerjee said at a press conference in the city: "Is Mangalkot beyond democracy that no opposition leader can visit the area even to provide relief materials to the thousands of party-workers who had been rendered homeless over the last six months? Such orders are used either in the case of communal violence or a breakdown of law and order."
"In West Bengal, the order is used to deny the opposition its legitimate rights", Ms. Banerjee alleged, saying that the State government was digging its own grave in this manner.
She added that she would send video clippings of the incident to the Centre.
Ban on CPI Maoists extended for one more year
Andhra Pradesh government today extended the ban on CPI-Maoists and six of its affiliate organisations for one more year.
The state cabinet that met here today under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy decided to extend the ban from August 17, 2009 to August 16, 2010, according to a state minister.
The banned outfits include Radical Youth League, Radical Students Union, Rythu Coolie Sangham, Singareni Karmika Samakhya, Viplava Karmika Samakhya and All India Revolutionary Students Federation.
The ban on Maoists and its affiliate outfits has been continuing in the state for over six years now, barring a few months in 2004-05 when the Rajasekhara Reddy government held talks with the naxals in a bid to make them shun violence and join the mainstream.
Maoist ultras today gunned down a local CPI(M) leader at Dherua near Lalgarh in West Midnapore district.
Paritosh Mishra, the CPI(M) leader, was given death sentence by a 'people's court' as he had been working against their interest, Maoist leader Bikash said.
In a similar incident, an activist of Jharkhand Party (Naren) was killed by the Maoists at Chakadoba near Lalgarh yesterday.
Meanwhile, workers of the People's Committee against Police Atrocities (PCPA), a tribal body spearheading the agitation in Lalgarh, have dug up roads leading to Jhargram town in 12 places to enforce an indefinite bandh from tomorrow, police said.
The roads have been dug up between Bamal and Dherua and between Dherua and Baita, PCPA sources said.
AP plans to declare three more districts naxal-affected
Special Correspondent
HYDERABAD: Andhra Pradesh is contemplating to seek the Central Government's approval for inclusion of three more districts in the State in the list of areas declared as naxal-affected.
These districts are Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and Visakhapatnam in north Coastal Andhra bordering Orissa. At present, Khammam is the only district in Andhra Pradesh that finds place in the list of 33 districts across the country which have been declared as extremist-affected.
The Government's move is in line with the demand from several States for inclusion of more areas in Maoist- affected category owing to the spurt in extremist activity. Overall, Maoist activity has been on the decline in Andhra Pradesh, but the Government is seeking declaration of the three north districts as naxal-affected in view of the continuing activity in areas adjoining the Andhra-Orissa border.
Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy is expected to put forth a request to this effect to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the Union Ministers concerned during his visit to New Delhi on August 17. The move, according to sources, would ensure more focus on the affected areas while enabling the State to secure more funds under the Backward Region Grant Fund.
Sources said the Centre allocated Rs. 7,500 crore to be spent over a period of three years for the development of the 33 affected districts in Jharkhand (10), Chattisgarh (7), Bihar (6), Orissa (5), Maharashtra (2) and Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh (one each). The declaration of new districts would enable the State to secure funds to the tune of about Rs. 900 crore over the next three years that could be utilised for development of infrastructure including roads and bridges.Congress warns CPM of 'red' reply in Mangalkot
Amid fears of another round of political violence in Mangalkot, the Congress held a peaceful rally in the area on Sunday. The situation was different from Saturday, when the Trinamool Congress supporters had clashed with the police, leading to tension in the area.
State Congress leaders, who visited the violence-affected villages in Mangalkot, demanded compensation for the victims. "Today we spoke to the Mangalkot villagers. Peace is slowly returning to the area. But we warn them (CPM), if our supporters are attacked again, we will target the Alimuddin Street (CPM headquarters). I will ask the people to drive the CPM from Bengal and wait till 2011, when we come to the power," said Subrata Mukherjee, working president of West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee, addressing the gathering in Belgram, Mangalkot.
Fifteen Congress MLAs, four MPs and state leaders participated in Sunday's rally. "The government should immediately provide relief to the victims and Rs 10 lakh compensation to each family," added Mukherjee. The party also announced that they will gherao the Writers' Buildings on August 26.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/Congress-warns-CPM-of--red--reply-in-Mangalkot/500098
| All political roads lead to Mangalkot - Mamata to visit spot on August 11 | |
| OUR BUREAU | |
Aug. 9: Subhendu Adhikari dropped in yesterday, Subrata Mukherjee did the rounds today, Mamata Banerjee will come calling on Tuesday and the Congress would like Pranab Mukherjee to pay a visit at his convenience. Mangalkot is the latest "pilgrimage" spot for Bengal's political leaders. The rural stretch in Burdwan became a hot button on the political map around mid-June when a CPM leader was killed, allegedly by Trinamul Congress activists. Since then, the area, where the Left's grip seems to be slipping, has seen repeated clashes. Trinamul chief Mamata announced her plan to visit the trouble zone yesterday after her supporters were lathi-charged by police near Mangalkot, where Section 144 is in force. As if to match Trinamul, the state Congress began lobbying Delhi to send either Bengal Congress president Pranab Mukherjee or any other AICC heavyweight to the area. "I have already briefed Pranabda about today's peaceful programme in Mangalkot and requested him to visit the area at a time convenient for him. We are also expecting senior AICC leaders to visit Mangalkot," said state Congress working president Subrata Mukherjee, who visited Mangalkot today with MP Deepa Das Munshi and 18 other leaders. The 20 Congress leaders went to Dhanyarukhi village, from where a team of Congress MLAs was chased out on July 15 by CPM supporters. The chase and the successful state-wide bandh the Congress enforced on July 17 brought the party out of Trinamul's shadow. Unlike July 15, the villagers did not put up any resistance today. Opposition parties are not the only ones making a beeline for the Burdwan block. A Left Front delegation also visited Mangalkot on July 24. The political traffic to Mangalkot picked up from June 18, three days after CPM leader Falguni Mukherjee's murder. Trinamul MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay and party MLA Madan Mitra were the first to get blocked when they tried to reach Mangalkot. They were stopped on the way by police. On June 23, leader of the Opposition and Trinamul MLA Partha Chatterjee was gheraoed by CPM activists for over six hours when he tried to reach the area to meet supporters. Mamata called up Pranab Mukherjee who assured Chatterjee he would raise the issue at the Centre. Villagers said they were "fed up" with the visits the political leaders were making almost daily. "They come, make promises of hefty compensation and leave. They forget everything after reaching Calcutta," said Sabita Ghosh of Dhanyarukhi village. "Are we animals in a zoo? Why do they come here daily to see us?" Kartick Paul, 42, a sharecropper, said: "Whenever political leaders come here, policemen accompany them. We felt confident after the leaders assured us that the police would patrol the area. But they were nowhere to be seen afterwards." |
| Bengal school cannon fodder | ||
| ALAMGIR HOSSAIN | ||
Karimpur, Aug. 9: Primary schooling done, but alphabets not yet learnt. Rubina Khatoon has studied till Class IV, the register in her village primary school testifies, but she does not know her alphabets — Bengali or English. The reason: Rubina hardly came to school; she stayed at home and collected firewood. Rubina is one of 45 students at her school in Barbakpur, Nadia, who can't read the alphabets. All are aged between 10 and 11 and have been on the rolls of Dakshin Barbakpur Primary School for four years. Their illiteracy came to light when some of them sought admission to Class V in Barbakpur Madhyamik Shiksha Kendra, 180km from Calcutta. Rubina's father Rasul Sheikh, a labourer, said: "I have never been to school, nor has Rubina's mother. So, it is not possible for us to guide our daughter at home. She collects firewood and helps her mother with household chores." Ditto for Harun Sardar, Rubina's classmate at the primary school. He spent his time collecting firewood and "grass for the goat", his father Fazal said. The Dakshin Barbakpur Primary School offers children free education and a midday meal. But this does not seem enough to convince poor families like Rubina's to send their children to school. All the 45 illiterate children fall in the 6-14 age group, which means they are entitled to subsidised elementary education from the government under the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Bill, passed on August 4. At the Barbakpur Madhyamik Shiksha Kendra, Sirajuddin Mondal, a teacher who took their test, said: "We were shocked when we asked the students to read out a paragraph from a Class IV Bengali textbook as part of a test conducted by the zilla parishad. They did not know their alphabets." When Abdul Majid Malikha, the headmaster of the primary school, was asked how the absence of the 45 students had escaped the teachers' notice, he said: "It is quite possible that 45 students could not learn the alphabets at the primary level. We have 309 students but there are only three teachers, including me. It is not possible to look into the academic progress of every student." Schoolchildren from Class I to IV are not failed in class, so they don't have to face the stress of examinations. The Class IV syllabus includes seven subjects — Bengali, English, mathematics, science, geography, history and environmental science. The children are to be taught poems and stories in Bengali, rhymes and sentence construction in English, elementary arithmetic, science and the basic geography of Bengal. But all is not lost for Rubina and her classmates. Habibur Rahman, the headmaster of Barbakpur Madhyamik Shiksha Kendra, said his school had organised a crash course for the 45 so they would be able to follow the Class V lessons. "We have referred the matter to the zilla parishad as the admission process in Class V is held on the basis of instructions of the parishad," Rahman said. |
| Clash in restive Mangalkot - Mamata scents a chance after Trinamul and police fight | ||
| OUR BUREAU | ||
Aug. 8: Trinamul Congress supporters and police clashed in Mangalkot today, gifting Mamata Banerjee a chance to reclaim a sliver of political space the Congress had seized earlier and keep the pot boiling two days after the governor spoke of a "tandava of violence". Around 30,000 people had gathered for Trinamul MP Subhendu Adhikari's rally in Khudrun, on the periphery of the restive Mangalkot where Section 144 is in force after a series of political clashes. What set off the clash this afternoon is not clear but Mamata was quick to announce her travel plan. She declared she would visit Mangalkot in two or three days and dared the police to stop her. It was Mangalkot that brought the Congress out of Trinamul's shadow to enforce a "successful" bandh on July 17, two days after its MLAs were chased out of the area in Burdwan by CPM supporters. "I will visit Mangalkot in two or three days. Why has Section 144 been imposed there? I will hold a meeting at that very stage. Let the police try and stop me," Mamata said. "The governor is right in saying that a tandava of political violence is on. The other day, the Union home minister said (parts of) Bengal have turned into killing fields. When the governor and Union home minister say something, they talk on the basis of evidence. After all this, should the chief minister remain in power for a minute?" she asked. Mamata also alleged that CPM cadres, whom she called the "suo motu action force", had fired from their party office at the Trinamul rallyists. The police denied this. CPM state secretary Biman Bose said: "The Trinamul is behind today's violence. This is part of the party's attempts to unleash anarchy all over the state. The Trinamul is always resorting to falsehoods. But the people will resist." The clash broke out today when Adhikari had just finished addressing the crowd around 2.30pm in Khudrun. Adhikari told his supporters repeatedly over the microphone that they should not violate Section 144. "We won't violate Section 144. We have held a big rally and people have understood that we assembled here today to protest against the CPM's atrocities and state-sponsored terrorism. We will come back to Mangalkot on August 25," he said. Minutes after, a section of the crowd rushed towards the Shyambazar area where prohibitory orders are still in force, defying Adhikari's instructions, the police said. The force immediately formed a human wall to prevent the mob from proceeding but some rallyists began throwing stones at the cops, making them run for cover. The police then began lobbing tear gas shells. A district police officer said the force "did not expect the crowd to rush towards us and try to break barricades after Subhendu babu had asked them not to violate Section 144". Some cops chased the people who fled through a marketplace. "Within minutes (of Subhendu leaving) we found some of them shouting and asking others to throw stones at us. There was no alternative but to lathi-charge," the officer said. But a Trinamul activist alleged that CPM supporters were behind the unrest. "We suspect some CPM cadres were in our crowd and began hurling stones at policemen. Our leader had announced that we should not violate Section 144, so why would we defy it?" Adhikari brought another charge. He said CPM supporters were among the police and were attacking his partymen during the lathi-charge. Two police vehicles were set on fire and two other vehicles damaged. Twenty-four people have been arrested. Mangalkot has seen a series of face-offs since the murder of local CPM leader Falguni Mukherjee on June 15, allegedly by Trinamul activists. The same month, CPM activists blocked Trinamul leader Partha Chatterjee from visiting Mangalkot. On July 15, the Congress MLAs were chased out. |
| Kanti choice with eye on Subhas flock |
| OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT |
| Calcutta Aug. 8: Kanti Ganguly's appointment as Subhas Chakraborty's successor in the sports and youth affairs department is part of the CPM's plan to protect the late minister's support base and prevent the fragmenting of the North 24-Parganas district unit. Ganguly, a CPM state committee member and Sunderbans affairs minister, is one of two Chakraborty loyalists to be picked to continue the work that Chakraborty handled. Yesterday, Ranjit Kundu, a Citu leader and district secretariat member from North 24-Parganas, was chosen the transport minister. Kundu's induction into the transport ministry was announced by state party secretary Biman Bose, but Ganguly's appointment in the sports and youth affairs department is yet to be formally announced. Ganguly had informed the party early this month that he wanted to quit his ministry berth and work for the party. "All I can tell you at this moment is that the chief minister (Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee) informed me on Friday that he would add sports and youth affairs to my responsibilities," Ganguly said. "I told him I would do my utmost to live up to his and the party's expectations." Today, Ganguly called on Jyoti Basu at his Salt Lake residence and sought his blessings. "Try to carry all sections of people with you," Basu told him. Basu, state secretary Bose and a few key leaders had feared that Chakraborty's death might impact the fractious North 24-Parganas unit in many ways. Chakraborty was one of the key leaders of the unit and the party leadership would have found it "extremely difficult" to manage his pool of supporters, which ran the risk of either getting fragmented or hijacked by the Trinamul Congress or the Congress. By picking Kundu and Ganguly, the party has also assuaged the fears of Chakraborty's supporters, who have been nervous about their future. |
| "It will now inspire revolutionary forces all over the country" |
Blockades took place like an "upsurge"
Maoists sceptical of Trinamool's continued support to Singur movement
HYDERABAD: Security forces might have gained an upper hand in containing the uprising in West Bengal's Lalgarh, but the ultra-Left Communist Party of India (Maoist) believes that Lalgarh would now inspire revolutionary forces all over the country as did the Naxalbari movement four decades ago.
Enthused by what it claims as an "unprecedented mass base" formed during the resistance, the Maoist think tank now looks at Lalgarh as the "second Naxalbari." In fact, even the Naxalbari did not have such a big mass base, feel the Maoists.
Explaining the rationale behind this, Kishanji, a member of the Maoist Polit Bureau, says West Bengal was a real testing ground for the revolutionary forces, as the State has been under Marxist rule for the past three decades. "Lalgarh struck at that [Marxist] politics."
This development comes in the backdrop of the revolutionary movement advancing rapidly in Dandakaranya (which includes parts of Chhattisgarh, Orissa, and Andhra Pradesh), Bihar, Jharkhand and Orissa.
These observations of Kishanji, who led the Lalgarh resistance, were made available to The Hindu in the form of questions and answers prepared by the Maoist party itself.
Kishanji, whose real name is Mallojula Koteshwara Rao, maintains that the Lalgarh blockades took place like an "upsurge" and that Lalgarh has proved "how to boycott the administration using both military and mass movement lines."
He, however, disagrees that resistance there moved to a mobile warfare stage, and points out that it was only in a preparatory phase.
On the Singur movement and the Trinamool Congress' role in it, Kishanji points out that the movement, which centred on the issue of land, sharpened political consciousness in the entire West Bengal.
He was, however, sceptical of the Trinamool's continued support to the issue as it entered into an alliance with the Congress.
Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee has also softened her party's stance. She initially raised the slogan Tata Hatao, Singur Bachao (Remove Tata, save Singur), but now proclaims Tatas could set up factories on land given by willing peasants, Kishanji said.
Anti-SEZ movementIn Nandigram also, people who had been with the CPI(M) for decades saw for themselves how their interests were sought to be sacrificed for setting up a chemical hub. When they militantly confronted the government, it had to cancel its decision. But now, a similar chemical hub is sought to be established in Nayachar and the Trinamool registered only sporadic protests. While the Nandigram struggle emerged as a successful model of the anti-Special Economic Zone movement in the country, the people should prepare themselves to oppose the plans to build an SEZ in Nayachar, the Maoist leader said.
He anticipates that the crackdown on Maoists would further intensify in West Bengal, but the people would prepare for resistance under the leadership of the CPI(Maoist).
http://www.hindu.com/2009/08/07/stories/2009080760031100.htm
Naxalite Menace - VII
Maoists finding new ways to kill the 'enemy'
Our Roving Editor Man Mohan writes from Dantewada (Chhattisgarh)
Maoists are finding new ways to kill the "enemy". And, in the past two years, the Maoists have damaged public property worth about Rs 4,000 crores in Chhattisgarh.
Red terrorists are now making various kinds of bombs to target security forces and tribals who oppose them. The most popular ones are tiffin boxes and "pressure" bombs.
Perhaps the Naxals in Chhattisgarh have borrowed the idea from Kashmiri militants, who have used tiffin boxes, transistor sets, toys, mobile phones and bags loaded with explosives to bomb several cities, including New Delhi.
Tiffin box bombs are now being left by Maoists in Bastar's towns, villages and tribal haats (weekly markets). They have claimed many innocent lives.
Pressure bombs are crude explosive devices that operate like landmines. They are placed under the bodies of security men and others killed by Maoists through ambush and landmines. When the police and relatives come to recover the bodies,
they explode.
Since 2007, the Maoists have killed over 700 people, including members of security forces, women and children, and injured 500 people in gun firing, through landmines and innovative tiffin box and pressure bombs in Salwa Judum relief camps, villages and jungles.
In the past two years, about 650 properties, including banks, were looted and over 550 houses and other establishment like school and panchayat buildings burnt during this period.
From 2000 to 2008, the Maoist have destroyed various infrastructure which include roads (72), banks (18), public and buildings of forest department (60), schools (87), panchayat bhawans (61), hospitals (2), public distribution stores (32), Border Roads Organisation's vehicles (25), private companies' vehicles (74), electricity poles (56), railway station and railway lines (24).
Maoists' Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee and Chhattisgarh Committee operate in this state. There are nearly 100 local groups, local guerrilla squads, 20 area committees, 12 special guerrilla cells, 10 divisional committees and seven "military" companies.
They have reportedly acquired weapons made in Russia, America and China from arms suppliers and other militant outfits through the porous India-Nepal border or the north-eastern border touching Myanmar and Bangladesh.
Various Naxal units called "dalams" in the local language are using lethal foreign arms, including the US-made SMG Thomson guns, AK-47 rifles and a number of Russian and Chinese rifles and pistols. They have also been found to be using old, but effective, .303 rifles for sniper operations.
Since the beginning of this year, there has been a sharp rise in the Maoist attacks on public and private property. The killings have increased.
Maoists have been operating for nearly three decades in Chhattisgarh and other states through which the Red Corridor passes. But recent years have recorded a spurt in the Naxal violence, destruction of public and private property, attacks on security forces, jails breaks, looting of weapons from polices stations and levying of "tax".
The Naxals' initial appeal to stop tribals' harassment by the police, forest department, contracts and traders had helped them win the people's hearts. "The Naxals kept on enlarging their 'territory' by organising kangaroo courts (jan adalats) for instant justice and resorted to terror tactics, boycott and subversion of elections, attacks on police and propaganda," said Superintendent of Police Rahul Sharma, who shifted from Dantewada to Raigarh on Thursday.
"At many places, the same tribals who had welcomed them as Red Heroes are now revolting against them," said Sharma, who belongs to Batala (Punjab).
Naxalism has become a way of life in Bastar's jungles. Red terror has spread over the decades, thanks to the state administration's apathy and corruption.
| Maoists impeding India ties: Nepal |
| SANKARSHAN THAKUR |
| New Delhi, Aug. 10: Nepali foreign minister Sujata Koirala has said that her country's Maoists have become an impediment to improving ties with India. "They have created an atmosphere in which even Nepali nationalists, senior leaders of the Nepali Congress like (former Prime Minister) G.P. Koirala and me hesitate to talk freely about having good relations with India," Koirala told The Telegraph today. "This tactic might be serving the narrow political interests of Maoists but it is not good for the region and for Indo-Nepal relations." Koirala arrived here on a four-day trip today to lay the groundwork for Prime Minister Madhav Nepal's India visit starting on August 18. Apart from her counterpart, S.M. Krishna, Koirala will also meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, defence minister A.K. Antony and commerce minister Anand Sharma during her official stay. "India is our closest neighbour in every sense and we want to restore the good ties that we have always had," Koirala said. "But of late, there has been a lot of anti-India sentiment whipped up in Nepal, almost to the degree that we have to politically fight it out. Poor ties with India and mutual suspicion is not helpful to anyone." Koirala's broadside comes at a time Maoist sentiment in relation to India lies freshly inflamed. All of last fortnight, Maoists have been alleging that the Madhav Nepal government had entered into a secret deal for resuming arms supplies to the Nepal Army. Any resumption of arms supplies — lethal or non-lethal — constitutes a violation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, which became the political basis for the Maoists giving up guerrilla war and joining the mainstream. Even though Prime Minister Madhav Nepal has officially denied any move to have supplies from India resumed, Maoist spokespersons have persisted in alleging a covert deal, which they see as a move to strengthen the hands of the army in preparation for a "forced disbanding" of the Maoist People's Liberation Army (PLA), currently in UN-monitored barracks. Nepali defence minister Bidhya Bhandari's recent visit to India served to bolster Maoist allegations that the army was being covertly armed with Indian help to neutralise the PLA. (Under the terms of the agreement, PLA cadres are to be absorbed into the national army.) The row over Nepal seeking resumption of arms from India wasn't helped by defence minister Bhandari's statements that the Nepal Army was in need of arms and ammunition for training purposes and that she had approached the Indian government for help "to ensure that the army does not have to compromise on training requirements". Koirala's attack on Maoists could fetch another angry backlash from the former guerrillas who blamed their own ouster from the government in May and the accession of the Madhav Nepal-led dispensation on an "India-aided conspiracy". Maoist ideologue and former finance minister Baburam Bhattarai has demanded that New Delhi stop "supporting and co-operating with" the current government "if it wants democracy to prosper" in Nepal. "India is a great democracy, but it has worked to destabilise the democratically elected Maoist government in Nepal and promoted a government led by defeated, status quoist and pro-monarchist forces in Kathmandu," Bhattarai had said in an exclusive interview in June. "Support to this government must end if India wants democracy to prosper in Nepal." The Maoists have stalled the peace process in Nepal since Prachanda resigned and have forced the Madhav Nepal government into limbo by refusing to participate in the Constituent Assembly. Koirala blamed the Maoists for resorting to "anti-democratic" methods to disrupt the peace process, which envisages, for a start, the finalisation of a new republican-democratic constitution for Nepal by next year."The Maoists are not participating in the parliamentary process, they are looking for excuses to take to the streets, they are the ones who do not seem to want a democracy prosper in our country," Koirala said. She added, though, that efforts were on to get the Maoists on board and the task of drafting an agreed constitution back on track. "We have recently formed a high-level all party committee and Prachanda has promised to join it. If that happens, we will probably have a body that will be able to sort out inter-party differences on major issues more smoothly. But the Maoists have to co-operate, they have to realise that we cannot betray the peace process by creating a situation of anarchy in the country," Koirala said. |
| Four-leg route to grassroots |
| TAPAS CHAKRABORTY |
| Aug. 10: She has addressed rallies. She has stopped her convoys on rural highways to speak to a couple of villagers among lined-up hundreds. Now Sonia Gandhi seems to be turning to a centuries-old institution of grassroots democracy for closer, interactive sessions with her constituents in Rae Bareli. She arrived at Lucknow at 9am today and drove 40km to Beriaya Ka Tola village, where she sat down on a charpoy under a makeshift shamiana. Some 300 people — men and women, upper castes and Dalits — sat in a circle around her in an open field. This was the Congress president's first ever chaupal — a small village meeting where people discuss problems and solutions, and where everybody has the same freedom to speak, irrespective of caste, religion or gender. A farmer, Ramesh Soni, stood up. "My paddy fields are not receiving irrigation water. This is a season of drought, what will I do?" he asked. Sonia asked the village head to solve the problem. A local irrigation officer said a narrow drain would be dug to link Soni's fields with the key irrigation canal. Sonia held two more chaupals and, in the next two days of her August 10-12 trip to Rae Bareli, will hold at least six more, party leaders said. "She is showing a lot of interest in reviving the tradition of chaupals," said party spokesperson Akhilesh Pratap Singh. Unlike the khap (caste) panchayats further northwest — in the news for ordering murders, divorces and social boycotts — these are forums for free discussion, not kangaroo courts where elders and village heads pass diktats. Sonia's son Rahul has been holding chaupals — once a hallmark of Mahatma Gandhi's politics — for the past couple of years. Sonia's Beriaya Ka Tola chaupal lasted over half an hour. The next two — at Sudakan in Bachrawa and another village near Jais — were a little shorter and the crowds were smaller at 150-200. At these two places, she sat under banyan trees, the traditional site of chaupals. However, the villagers sat across a barrier 10-15m away, and between them and Sonia stood her security personnel. |
| MP, MLA thrashed in land protest |
| OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT |
| Mumbai, Aug. 10: An MP and an MLA were attacked with sticks and stones in their constituencies in Mumbai's northern suburbs today by villagers who fear losing their land to an alleged promoter-politician nexus. Palghar's Independent MP Baliram Jadhav, a Bahujan Vikas Aghadi (BVA) member, and Virar's Independent MLA Hitendra Thakur of the Vasai Vikas Mandal received minor head and hand injuries in the early morning attack and were discharged from hospital hours later. Jadhav and Thakur had visited Wagholi village, 60km from Mumbai, in Thane late last night to try and convince residents to end their agitation against the inclusion of their village in a civic corporation. Some 53 villages in Thane district are protesting their absorption in the newly formed Vasai-Virar Municipal Corporation, saying this would lead to unregulated growth with builders gobbling up village land. MLA Thakur, the strongman of Virar, controls much of the development in the area and had helped Jadhav win the Palghar Lok Sabha seat in the last election. While the two politicians were returning to Virar, a mob of 150 to 200 people waylaid their convoy. A heated argument was followed by the attack, which injured 17 BVA activists and damaged nine vehicles in the convoy. The mob burnt down posters and banners of Thakur. The attack led to a shutdown in the twin suburbs of Vasai and Virar and three State Reserve Police platoons were deployed in the area. A fishing and farming zone, the Vasai-Virar region in Thane has seen a construction boom over the past two decades with Mumbaikars eyeing cheaper housing. Much of the construction is illegal, the villagers say. The 53 villages formed a Gaon Bachao Sangharsha Samiti, led by the Shiv Sena's Vivek Pandit, after the new corporation was formed on July 3 through a government notification. Pandit, who lost to Thakur in the 2004 Assembly polls, and leaders of several other organisations have been on an indefinite hunger strike from yesterday morning. "The government has turned a blind eye to exploitation by builders," Pandit said. Thakur's party heads three of the four municipal councils that will, together with the 53 villages, form the new corporation. His brother Bhai Thakur, an alleged mafia don, was arrested under anti-terror law Tada in the early 1990s. The MLA has warm ties with the ruling Congress-NCP. Thakur was primarily responsible for the election of actor and former Congress MP Govinda in 2004 from the Mumbai North Lok Sabha constituency, under which the region then fell. Delimitation, however, moved the twin suburbs to Palghar Lok Sabha constituency, and Thakur decided to support Jadhav. |
| BSP rift over Maya statue spree | ||
| RADHIKA RAMASESHAN | ||
New Delhi, Aug. 10: Old-timers in the Bahujan Samaj Party have faulted Mayavati's "obsession" with statues and parks, saying she has strayed from her mentor and party founder Kanshi Ram's vision. Some of them recently mustered the courage to tell her that if she wished to set up her statues and name parks after Dalit reformers, the drive should go hand in hand with "more substantive" programmes such as land for the landless, redistribution of surplus state land to Dalits, and jobs. "Otherwise, it amounts to megalomania. We paid a price for her excesses in the Lok Sabha elections," a Rajya Sabha MP from the party said. Underlying the old Kanshi Ram loyalists' impatience with Mayavati is a realisation that in the power stakes, they have been outnumbered by leaders who arrived from other parties. The BSP "originals" account for only three of the party's 12 Rajya Sabha seats and four of its 21 Lok Sabha seats. The "originals" are those who have been in the BSP since Kanshi Ram founded it and had started out as activists of the party's previous avatars — the Dalit Shoshit Samaj Sangharsh Samiti and the All India Backward and Minority Communities' Employees Federation. The rest have come from other parties, some entering laterally, the most notable of them being Satish Mishra, Mayavati's chief political and legal adviser. "I was associated with the BSP from the time 'Manyawar' (respected) Kanshi Ram used to go on his cycle yatras all over Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh to mobilise the Dalits," the Rajya Sabha MP said. "While he was guided solely by Babasaheb's (Bhimrao Amebdkar's) political philosophy, it never once crossed his mind that if the BSP came to power, its first agenda would be to deify its (living) leaders." The old-timer lobby, out on a "save BSP" mission, say that if Mayavati leaves the party's fate to the likes of Mishra and her handpicked bureaucrats, as she has been doing now, it will be left "without a future". A Lucknow-based BSP functionary said: "Even when she became chief minister for the first time (in 1995), she was taken up with the idea of installing statues of Amebdkar, Periyar and others. At that time, Kanshi Ram was around to tell her to go ahead but to also initiate some concrete measures." Around then was born the idea of the Ambedkar Gram Yojana, under which some Dalit-dominated villages were chosen and given special grants for the development of education, health, irrigation, drinking water and roads. Kanshi Ram loyalists admitted that the Congress's revival in Uttar Pradesh would hurt the BSP the most. "Rahul Gandhi's message of statues versus development has hit home. Our people have started asking us, 'Where are the roads and wells for us? We are tired of looking at the CM's murtis (statues)'," one of them said. The old-timers have also asked Mayavati to scrap the bhaichara (brotherhood) committees she has set up, ostensibly to promote kinship between the various castes and communities. "Because of the unequal power equations, the upper castes have used the committees to assert their supremacy over the backward classes and the Scheduled Castes, and to promote their own interests," a source said. |
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Marichjhanpi - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Marichjhanpi Genocide
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Marichjhanpi Genocide | ||||||
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An Open Petition in Video: Exclusive Exposure of Evidences. This is a research based Documentary film in English,Bengali and Hindi. We worked for the ... www.youtube.com/watch?v=oztK1LIOVz0 - | |||||
PROTOCOLS OF ZION, OBC PUZZLE,ROSS MALLICK, MARICHJHANPI, OMARKOT ...
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PROTOCOLS OF ZION, OBC PUZZLE,ROSS MALLICK, MARICHJHANPI, OMARKOT ...
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Wapedia - Wiki: Marichjhanpi
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