December 31, 2010
Didi sees CPM hand in rampage
Railway minister Mamata Banerjee has said that the vandalism at Howrah station on Wednesday was a planned one and hinted that it had been engineered by CPM. “A passenger getting down from a train does not go on the rampage. And where from the lathis and the stones came on the platform?†she wondered, while addressing a Trinamool Congress rally at Dum Dum on Thursday. “The railways have formed a five-member committee. We will find out who were behind these incidents.†Mamata also said trains, like planes, were also getting late because of fog. Accusing members of CPMled unions in the railways of carrying out “political sabotageâ€, she said these employees were interfering with train operations at Howrah station, often diverting trains to other platforms without notice. CPM workers were also not allowing smooth running of the ‘ladies special’ trains which she had introduced. She accused the West Bengal government of interfering with the functioning of Trinamool-run Kolkata Municipal Corporation. Pumps are not being repaired at the government-run Garden Reach waterworks and the KMC is being blamed for water shortage. “I have asked KMC authorities to keep vigil on Tallah pumping station and reservoir, so that nobody can poison the water.†“The municipal affairs department is not allowing KMC to buy new pumps, so that there is shortage of drinking water during the election,†she said. Mamata played the land acquisition card again, warning that if CPM managed to return to power then there would be more Singurs, Nandigrams and Bhangars. “They will start oppressing the common people again, the real face of the party will be exposed,†she said. The Trinamool chief again referred to the “injustice done at Rajarhatâ€. According to her, “Lalgarh has slipped out of CPM’s hands because the party had tried to capture the area forcibly.†The minister was confident that the railway factories at Sankrail and Dankuni would happen, despite obstacles from CPM. “The work orders have been issued, construction has started, how can they stop it now?†She said land at Sankrail and Dankuni had been acquired in 1981 and 1953 respectively. “These plots had been lying idle for many years; I am trying to set up railway factories on idle land held by the railways. I have formed a land bank.†Mamata announced her tactic of holding meetings in places where the chief minister will address rallies “to nail the lies the CM is propagating.†And such meetings would be held within seven days of the CM’s rallies. As per this plan, she would hold a meeting at Sonarpur on Sunday.
Courtesy: The Times of India
