BENGAL: House erupts over Hill stir

FROM THE STATESMAN

KOLKATA: Noisy scenes marked the proceedings of the state Assembly today after Opposition members alleged that the state government lacks “willingness” to solve the ongoing stir in the Hills and accused the ruling party of desperately “looking for elements” out of the “ethnic problems” in Darjeeling for petty politics.

The Treasury bench members came up with strong protest levelling the counter allegation that Opposition parties are “fanning” the violence in the Hills. The heated exchange between the legislators broke out during a discussion on Budget for the department of Hill affairs.

Supporting a cut motion moved by the Opposition, Mr Partha Chattopadhyay, its leader, alleged the state government is trying to rule Darjeeling using “gun, bullet and baton” instead of “preparing a ground” for holding discussions. The state government has failed to solve the problems of safe drinking water and electrification. Indicating that the state government is trying to shift the focus from Lalgarh, he sought an explanation from the chief minister why fresh trouble erupted in Darjeeling at a time when Lalgarh is on the boil.

“The chief minister is visiting districts, but he has no time for the people of Darjeeling who are suffering from damage caused by Aila. There is no system to combat disaster in the Hills. No initiative was taken to install new water pipeline or repair the defunct ones,” Mr Chattopadhyay told the Assembly.

The Congress legislative party leader, Dr Manas Bhuinya, also took a dig at the Left Front government saying that it lacks “sensibility” to deal with the problems.

“The chief minister, who himself is holding the charge of the hill affairs department, is absent in the House today when discussion over Budget for the department is being discussed. I think that he is taking the matter casually,” Mr Bhuinya rued.

Replying to these allegations, Mr Ashok Bhattacharjee, the state urban development and municipal affairs minister said, leaders of Gorkha Jana Mukti Morcha (GJMM) consider Mr Partha Chattopadhyay to be their “own man”.

Indicating that there is an understanding between the Trinamul and GJMM, Mr Bhattacharjee said both the parties had supported the Lalgarh movement on the same day. “A leader of the Suci, the electoral partner of the Trinamul Congress, had not only attended the fast movement of Gorkha Jana Mukti Morcha (GJMM) at Gorubathan, he also addressed a rally there. Besides Trinamul Congress leaders, MLAs from other parties are not being allowed to go to the hills,” the minister said adding that no incident of police firing or baton charge took place in Darjeeling during the movement because the state government was dealing the matter responsibly.

Meanwhile, Mr Barry O’brian, nominated MLA, today raised a point of information regarding the inconvenience caused to the students and boarders in the Hills following the indefinite strike called by the Gorkha Jana Mukti Morcha. He said that this indefinite bandh call by GJMM has created major problem for the students who have been forced to go home. Some of them are “foreign” students and many of them are boarders. Due to the ongoing turmoil in the region, many of their parents could not be contacted. The Speaker, Mr HA Halim, said: “I from my chair can only appeal to all political parties including those who are concerned not to go for an indefinite strike, it will cause inconvenience to the students and the tourists.’’

GJMM transfer plea rejected

The state government today rejected the demand of Gorkha Jana Mukti Morcha (GJMM) leaders to transfer some police officers of Darjeeling.

In a Press release issued today, the state government made it clear that it has examined the demand of the GJMM, which alleged police atrocities following the clashes in Mirik and Panighata on 7 and 10 July, and found no merit in their demand. The state mentioned that the district police had to act quickly and decisively to bring the violence under control.