Trinamool delaying rural body elections to plant its men in key admin positions: Left Front

Kolkata Left Front Saturday lambasted the ruling Trinamool Congress in West Bengal for delaying the rural body elections in a bid "plant its people" in key administrative positions.

“The Trinamool Congress speaks of Democracy but practices 'party-cracy', and that is why they are not willing to conduct timely elections. By that time they want to plant their people in key positions,” Left Front chairman, Biman Bose said here.

He also said the key reason behind delaying the rural body elections was that “they have come to power after cheating them (people of Bengal) and now they (Trinamool) are not willing to face them”.

“If they believed in democracy they would have conducted these elections on time,” Bose said.

Bose boasted that all the elections were held on time during Left Front rule as they "believe in democracy and democratic procedure".

The Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress government had been engaged in a war of words and letters with the State Election Commission over the scheduling of the dates and deployment of central paramilitary forces.

The Commission has moved to Calcutta High Court with the issue which is being heard.

If the rural body polls are not conducted on time and a new panchayat is not in place before the expiry of the tenure of existing Panchayats which in many case is going to expire in June end, the villagers wont get any benefit out of the central funds which is given to the Panchayat.

DRDO and Indian Railways join hands for clean rails

Kolkata Indian Railways and Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) will join hands to equip the railway coaches with environment friendly toilets.

A total number of 1563 bio-toilets have been installed in coaches up to March 2013 for field trials.

Indian Railways is aiming to fit all its coaches with the bio-toilets, though there is no fixed time frame by when the job will be done as “deployment cannot be forecast with reasonable accuracy as it will depend upon the changes/modifications necessitated from time to time based on the feedback on its performance, outcome of the fitment trials, exigency of their usage pattern and other service conditions.”

It has planned that all the new coaches will be fitted with bio-toilets from 2016-17 onward.

It also claims that if all goes well the entire fleet of passenger coaches will be fitted with 

environment friendly bio-toilets by 2021-22.

ASSOCHAM report incorrect: Chiranjeevi

Kolkata In a written reply to a question asked in Lok Sabha , Union Tourism Minister, K. Chiranjeevi Friday said the conclusion of the quick random survey undertaken by ASSOCHAM Social Development Foundation are incorrect.

The ASSOCHAM report concluded that there has been a decrease of 25% in foreign tourist inflow and a decrease of 35% in women foreign tourist inflow in India since December 2012.

source: PIB

The Minister said that the statistics (above) clearly show that the number of Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) in India during January, February and March 2013 have registered positive growth over the corresponding months of 2012.

High-power inquiry into chit fund mess in West Bengal: Left Front

Kolkata Left Front Monday accused Trinamool Congress of misleading people and demanded a high power inquiry committee to probe the Saradha chit fund mess, offenders be arrested, and the depositors be paid out of the assets of the group.

“A high power inquiry committee should be formed to probe how it happened, how and who all are involved, everything should come to light, and ultimately the guilty should be punished,” said left front chairman Biman Bose.

Bose said the state and the centre should jointly deal with the situation.

“A Left Front delegation headed by Surya Kanta Mishra will give a deputation to the central government in Delhi,” he said.

Bose said the government should take immediate measures to save the interests of depositors and agents who mainly belong to low and medium income group.

“The State and the Central government should acquire the assets of the chit fund group and immediately take measures to give away the money to the depositors who have lost their money,” he said demanding immediate arrests of the owners and other officials associated with them as things may get complicated due to the delay.

In the wake of three suicides associated with the chit fund mess in the state the Left Front will hold rallies in all the districts of the state to create awareness among the people, it will also come out with a booklet which will deal with the problems in state and how deal with them.

Accusing the Trinamool General Secretary of misleading people of the state Bose said,“All India General Secretary of Trinamool Congress (Mukul Roy) is repeatedly saying that the Left front government has given the license to these organisations, if a lie is said 100 times it cannot turn into truth, the state government.”

Left Front also alleged that they have come to know during the elections many agents were indulged in “whisper campaigns” telling people “if the left front comes in power their business will suffer due to the bill it (left front) was coming with.”

“Many of the agents have themselves confessed of doing the campaign, that if Trinamool is not voted to power, business cannot be done. We can very well infer from this that who is linked to whom,” said Bose

Left Front also accused that the ordinance the state government was coming up with was just to delay the process of arrests as it will take a lot of time and by then the government will make all the arrangements.

“Ordinance cannot be implemented unless it gets the assent of the governor and the president, therefore this is a dilly dally process by which she and her government can rescue Sudipto Sen,” he said.

Bose urged that the Trinamool congress declare the names of all the buyers of Mamata Banerjee paintings.

Trinamool used the chit fund for political interests:CPM

Kolkata The Communist Party of India –Marxist (CPI-M) Saturday alleged that the ruling Trinamool Congress used the chit fund companies politically.

“They have used this chit fund for political interests, to come into power and to remain there,” said leader of opposition Surjya Kant Mishra.

He also accused that the ruling party had used the print and electronic media under the chit fund company Saradha Group for its publicity and have helped as well as received help from them.

Saradha Group is one of the largest chit fund companies in eastern India. It has also diversified into construction, realty, tourism, hospitality, agri-businesses and media.

As capital market regulator SEBI started taking actios against chit fund companies for flouting rules, which raised concerns over safety of public money, pressure on the group's finances mounted.

Crisis in the group was brewing since January, which forced it to recently wind up at least 10 media organisations - newspapers and television channels - that it had launched or acquired since 2010. Over 1,000 journalists and non-journalists have been rendered jobless.

The agents of the company Saturday protested in front of Trinamool Congress head office , as the customers were looking for them. There have been incidents of clashes between the agents and customers.

The agents had Friday protested in front of chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s residence.

Many of them have been forced to leave their homes to be safe from the wrath of the customers. Group’s offices were attacked across the state.

Come up with white paper, deal the situation on war-footing: Congress

Kolkata Congress Saturday accused the West Bengal government of inaction, and demanded a probe by CBI and SEBI into the money laundering case of Saradha Group, one of the largest chit fund companies in eastern India. It also urged that the government should deal with the situation on war-footing.

“We demand that serious investigation is made by SEBI and CBI so that truth can be unearthed, at the same time we demand that the victims should be properly compensated,” state Congress president, Pradip Bhattacharya said here.

Bhattacharya said that there were close relations between the chit fund group and the Trinamool Congress.

“The state government had very close relations with a few groups and people, and it stopped the government from taking appropriate action at the correct time,” he said.

 Bhattachrya claimed, Sachin Pilot in reply to a question in parliament had said that there are many chit funds in West Bengal and asked the state government to take immediate action against them had it acted then, the Bengal would have been saved from this disaster.

“But what we saw, when the states like Tripura and Assam were closing down the offices of these groups in their state then chit fund groups here in Bengal were busy with their business,” he said

“Authorities say that they have sent a letter to the CBI and also included many names there, that letter must have reached the home department of the state, if so they have to come out with the names, and why the letter has been sent that has to be properly inquired.”

He said an investigation on the subject matter of the letter and the intention of the sender is needed.

He also called for a white paper disclosure from the government as it was its basic duty to prove that it was not involved in money laundering case.

“We want to see that the state government refuse any direct or indirect links to it, the government should prove it, the evidences that have come up show that the top Trinamool leaders are directly and indirectly related to it.” said Bhattacharya.

He announced that they will carry out law violation programme on April 23 in all the districts of the state against the law and order situation.

“There are many such chit funds in the state, from whom the ruling party (Trinamool Congress) had accepted donations and helped them grow.” Congress parliamentarian from the state, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury  said.

He also said that the government was very well aware that these groups won’t be able to pay back.

“When there is an economic slowdown in the entire nation how can they generate profit, do they know any magic trick?” said Chowdhury.

Chowdhury also said Sudipto Sen, the Saradha Group CMD, was one of the biggest buyers of Mamata Banerjee paintings, and had purchased one of them for Rs. 1 crore and 86 lakhs.

A few days ago, the Banerjee government in the state ordered the arrest of the group's chairman and managing director Sudipta Sen for defaulting on repayments.

“He (Sudipto Sen) has not eaten up all the money; the ruling party is also involved.” he alleged.

Mamata Banerjee, also the Trinamool Congress supremo, Thursday said steps were being taken to arrest Sen.

Crisis in the group was brewing since January, which forced it to recently wind up at least 10 media organisations - newspapers and television channels - that it had launched or acquired since 2010. Over 1,000 journalists and non-journalists have been rendered jobless.

The agents of the company protested in front of Trinamool Congress head office today, as the customers were looking for them. Many have been forced to leave their homes to be safe from the wrath of the customers.

Many offices of the group were attacked across the state. There have been incidents of clashes between the agents and customers.

National Highway 34 was also blocked by the protesters.

Presidency Vandalism : Probe Initiated

Kolkata: West Bengal Human Rights Commission Thursday initiated its probe in the April 10 Presidency University vandalism.

Amol Mukhopadhyay, former principal of Presidency University, who was asked by the Commission to conduct an independent inquiry and submit a report within two weeks, recorded the statement the registrar and the vice-chancellor’s statement here on Thursday.

Mukkhopadyay, along with the Commission’s superintendent of police Annappa had surveyed the campus earlier on April 16 and asked for a list of eye-witnesses and a room.

According to the Registrar of the University, Pradip Sarkar, there were around 35 people in the lists of eye witnesses given to the commission. 

The two lists of eye witnesses include teachers, students and non-teaching staffs who were present at the main building as well as at the Baker building.

“I was asked to say what I had seen that day, and about my telephone calls to the police,” he said.

Taking suo motu cognisance of the vandalism at the prestigious Presidency University, the West Bengal Human Rights Commission on April 11 had asked city police to probe the matter.

Armed with sticks and rods, alleged Trinamool Congress Chhatra Parishad members stormed the Presidency University campus on April 10. They assaulted students, including women, and vandalised the famous physics department at the varsity.

They ransacked the century-old Baker Building that houses the physics laboratory where eminent scientists like Jagadish Chandra Bose, Satyendra Nath Bose and Meghnad Saha conducted researches.

The vandalism was a part of a series of state wide retaliatory attacks in the wake of the heckling of Trinamool supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and one of her ministers in New Delhi, by a group on April 9.

Be sensitive towards common man: Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury to railway officials.

Kolkata: Railway Minister of state Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury Monday urged the Railway officials and employees to be sensitive towards common man availing the services of Railways as it was “lifeline of India”.

“Don’t get impatient when common man complains to you, listen to them carefully and take initiative if you can solve them, if not then try to make them understand, but never misbehave with the passengers as railway is the life line of India,” the minister said.

He was here to flag-off Haldia-Anand Vihar weekly superfast express and two other local trains, and announced another superfast express train weekly train from Shalimar in West Bengal to Bhuj in Gujarat from April 20.

Haldia- Ananda Vihar superfast express (train no. 12443/12444) will run from Ananda Vihar (from 23^rd April) every Tuesday at 19.10 and every Thursday from Haldia.  

Shalimar- Bhuj Superfast express (train no. 22829/22830) will run every Tuesday from Bhuj and every Saturday from Shalimar.

Chowdhury said that India was one of the four countries which had the capacity to carry 10 billion tonnes of freight per annum.

“We are also trying to increase the capacity of goods train to 10000 tonnes” he said.

In USA a goods train has the capacity to carry over 25000 tonnes.

He also said there were plans to set up base kitchens at major stations as a step to improve the standard of food.

No serious corruption allegation against any BJP Government:Modi

Kolkata: Narendra Modi who is seen as the potential prime ministerial candidate of Bhartiya Janta Party(BJP) here claimed that there are no serious allegation of corruption against BJP government in any state.

“There are no serious allegations against any BJP government (in states),” Modi said here Tuesday while addressing BJP workers.

Modi said India has witnessed in total five types of government namely, family run governments, communists, Regional Government, Congress and BJP and if all these are evaluated on the basis of their peak performances on various parameters he was confident that BJP would emerge as the best performer.

He lambasted Congress of not giving the country anything even when it had golden opportunity to work without any obstacle without any opposition.

“There were three such decades of Congress  rule where no it had no obstacles as are today like the Media, NGOs judicial activism the government’ decision was the last decision, infact there were no opposition and the Congress was in power from Panchayat to parliament what did they give India during that time?” said Modi.

He also added that Congress had ruined the country and there was a need to make the country congress-free.

Assam lost 16 rhinos so far in 2013

A 15 days old Rhino calf was successfully rescued Thursday in Manas National Park, Assam.

“It was a challenge getting hold of the calf as it was very scared, but thankfully it is fine and doing well now”, said Mr. Deba Dutta, Senior Project Officer, WWF-India and one of the members of the rescue team.

The calf was caught about 3 km south of the area where its mother had been killed by poachers April 2 being the 16th rhino to be killed this year in the state.

High demand of rhino horns in East Asian countries has increased killing of rhinos.

It (calf) was then brought to the elephant training centre in the Bansbari range of the Park. The calf was administered oral re-hydration and is currently under observation of the veterinarians.

The calf will be transferred to boma, a special fenced enclosure within a week where it will be raised with the help of a rescue and a rehabilitation expert.

The rescue operation involved thirty frontline and senior staff of Assam Forest Department, veterinarians, twenty local villagers and members of WWF-India’s rhino monitoring team divided into three elephant borne teams.

Modi symbol of courage, good governance,honesty: Ramdev

Renowned yoga guru Ramdev, Friday expressed his support to Gujarat Chief Minister, Narendra Modi as potential prime ministerial candidate.

“Narendra Modi has emerged as a symbol of courage, good governance and honesty... the country has more hopes and expectations from him,” said Ramdev speaking to media persons, here, adding “everybody should support one who is doing good work.”

Criticising the Congress government in the centre Ramdev said, “If country has not developed, who is responsible for it, the party which could not develop the nation in 66 years what can they give in future.”

He also targeted Prime minister Manmohan Singh by saying that he was said to be a clean prime minister surrounded by corrupt people who lacked courage, inspiration and zeal and this kind of Prime Minister cannot give anything to the country.

Ramdev said that the country needs 300 good people in the parliament and he will support them.

He refrained from commenting on Chief Minister of Mamata Banerjee however, he said that “she needs to do a lot of good work for the people of West Bengal”. 

WEST BENGAL PANCHAYAT POLL: State Election Commission V/S Mamta Bannerjee Govt.

Panchayat elections in West Bengal on Monday saw a new twist here with State Election Commission approaching High Court. The events that unveiled gradually were equally interesting with CPI-M state secretary Biman Bose calling in a press conference to point out Trinamool's internal clashes as the reason behind it delayed polls. Adding, not all party members were aware of the conspiracy that was being hatched; he also accused Mukul Roy and Subrata Mukherjee as being instrumental in the conspiracy.

Congress which otherwise echoed CPM on the conspiracy theory saw inevitable defeat as the sole motive of the Banerjee government for delaying the polls. He also went ahead saying, he had proofs that Trinamool workers were threatening Congress workers with which he may come up at a press conference soon.

Earlier on Saturday he had said, the congress workers were being threatened while door to door campaign and in some cases the congress candidates were even asked for a fine for contesting in the name of congress.

The Left in its meeting with Governor, M.K.Narayanan Monday urged him to use powers vested to his chair by the Constitution to ease the standoff in the state where the State Election Commission and the Mamata Bannerjee led government have locked horns over the phases and security arrangements of the of the upcoming rural body election elections which according to the state Government notification will be held on 26 and 31^st April.

While the commission wants the polls to be conducted in three stages with central security forces the government is keen on conducting it in two phases with the state police and if required with the forces from other states.

Panchayat Minister of West Bengal Subrat Mukherjee earlier had said that they cannot afford Central forces which would cost the state around 400 Crores. Commenting on this Bhattacharya said the source of revenue generation the government is referring to, actually belongs to the people of Bengal and it is its responsibility to conduct a free and fair election.

 According to legal experts, the law states that the state first proposes date after a series of discussion when it is comfortable to hold the election to the State Election Commission which if it deem fit is announced to the public. In this case the state government unilaterally took all the decisions.

The court is yet to admit the case, though left thinks that if the elections is deferred it may take a toll on the developments of the villages as the Panchayats won’t be receiving the central scheme funds once its tenure is over. The tenure of many panchayats in the state is set to expire by June end.

The left said that if deferred the polls may stretch to November last week or first week of December as it won’t be possible to hold election during the Durga Pujas.