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The Trinamool Congress today gave a statement on the BJP trying to avoid any discussion in Parliament on the genocide that happened in Delhi, and the healing touch needed for the people affected. Reproduced below is the statement. 

Statement by Trinamool Congress Parliamentary Party at 1 PM

In both the Houses, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, the Mo-Sha duo have given the direction to not let any discussion happen. They have been trying to  kill every institution in this country. And now the attack is on the Parliament. 

What is happening is unprecedented. Yesterday the Leader of the House in the Rajya Sabha said the Government is ready for a discussion. All the opposition parties are ready for a discussion. Floor leaders of the three largest Opposition parties in the Rajya Sabha all gave notices today under 267.  

However, the subject was not read out. The Government does not want the subject to be read out. And now they have said that they will discuss it next week. The Home Minister was supposed to lay a paper on the table of the House. He ran away from that also. Instead, he got his junior to read and lay it. 

Trinamool’s notice today said the message of healing after the Delhi genocide has to go from Parliament. This is a sad state of affairs where Parliament is being treated like another back office of the BJP. But we will keep up the fight. 

On behalf of the All India Trinamool Congress, some startling facts.

The 267 notice in the Rajya Sabha is given to take up for urgent discussion any issue affecting the nation. This is the purpose of Rule 267. You  stop all other business and start discussion on the issue at 11 o’clock in the morning. 

The last 267 notice was taken up about three-and-a-half years ago. This is shameful! On November 16, 2016, discussion happened on the issue of demonetisation. 

Before that, in 2015, there was a discussion under 267 on agrarian crisis. Prior to that, there was one in 2014 on attack on the secular fabric of the country and before that, in the same year, on price rise and food inflation.

It is a matter of shame that from November 2016 the megalomaniacal duo have not allowed any discussion under Rule 267 in Parliament.

 

Excerpts of the interview of Bengal Finance Minister Dr Amit Mitra

The Indian economy was already in the ICU. Now the Budget gas sent the economy from the ICU to the ventilator.

The Budget is anti-people, is thoughtless and has left out those at the bottom of the pyramid in every manner possible.

Before the Budget, GDP was at an 11-year-low, private consumption was at a seven-year-low, investments were at a 17-year-low, manufacturing was at a 15-year-low, agriculture was at a four-year-low. Now of these have been addressed in the Budget.

A radical reduction has taken place in the funds for agriculture, health, education and scheduled castes-scheduled tribes welfare – together constituting a reduction of 8.9 per cent.

This massive reduction in crucial sectors implies the Government of India does not have any vision about social infrastructure.

Contrast this with Bengal: government investment in agriculture has grown by nine times, in social sector by 4.5 times – this is the greatness of Mamata Banerjee’s vision, of taking those at the bottom at the pyramid and placing them in the centre-stream of the economy.

Shockingly, in this Budget, the allocation for MGNREGA, or 100 Days’ Work, has been reduced. Contrast this with Bengal: it is number one in 100 Days’ Work in the country – highest number of days, highest allocation of work.

The allocation for the National Health Mission has also been reduced – by one per cent. This was never seen before.

In this Budget, there was no mention of giving employment to the unemployed; it is as if the unemployed don’t exist. Instead, what was seen was privatisation – of the Railways and the LIC, the LIC into which all of us common people have invested. And LIC has been put into the ICU already – it’s non-performing assets (NPA) amount to Rs 30,000 crore. The Budget has taken an institution that all should be supporting, that was already in the ICU and moved it into the privatisation mode for it to be eaten.

Now comes the question of tax reduction for the middle class. What is shocking is this tax reduction is nothing but a bluff – given with one hand and taken away more with the other. The standard deduction of Rs 50,000 won’t be applicable any more, if one opts for it. The deduction on small savings (PPF, NSC) is no longer there, so is the deduction on life insurance and medical insurance, and on contribution into the new pension scheme of Rs 50,000.

Another doing away with tax deduction with serious implications for ordinary people is the one on loans for affordable housing; at least the interest was tax deductible – not any more. This will have a very serious effect on the housing industry which in turn will have consequences on agricultural income spending because the common workers of the housing industry come from rural areas. They will not come any more.

So what is the entirety of the Budget? On the one hand, there is reduction in spending on social infrastructure, agriculture, health, education, and on the other, you are giving the sop of tax reduction, through which, though, shamelessly taking away much more than giving.

And finally, there is all this talk of PPP (public-private partnership) and privatisation, when many such similar ideas have not worked before.

On the behalf of Trinamool, I want to say this is a Budget that is thoughtless, visionless, as there is no long-term thinking, and in a way, has failed the Indian economy, has let go of the opportunity of pulling the latter out of the gloom and doom. Here was an opportunity lost. The bus has been missed, and the cost will be paid by the common people of India. What a shame! God save India from the hands of those with no vision, no strategy; only words, two-and-a-half hours of speaking on the Budget but ultimately empty words, as an empty vessel that keeps clanging.

Watch the interview here.

 

Thirteen new books penned by Bangla Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee were unveiled at the Kolkata International Book Fair on January 28.

Six of the 13 books are in Bengali, six in English, and one in Urdu. One of the books is a collection of 946 Bengali poems christened “Kabita Bitan”, penned by the Trinamool Congress chief, who also paints and composes songs.

Among other titles are “Why We Are Saying No NRC, No CAA”, “Bengal Can”, “Bengal Heritage”, “Laho Pronam Chhoray, Chhoray”.

Describing books as a “man’s real friend”, Mamata Banerjee said their role is acknowledged in developing consciousness and knowledge. Banerjee’s first book “Upalabdhi” was published in 1995.

Mamata Banerjee has penned a poem, ‘Gorje Otho’ (‘Roar’). Earlier too she had penned poems on the issue of the anti-people policies of CAA, NRC and NPR. She has led protests across the State. Poetry has always been one of her poems. Once again she has taken up the pen.

Click to read her Facebook post.

The State Agriculture Department is organising Krishi Mela in all the districts to provide technical assistance to farmers, thereby improving the standard of living. The one in Siuri (Birbhum district) has already been inaugurated by the State Agriculture Minister.

The attending farmers will be given training on using modern technologies by the department’s officials so that they can increase production. They will also be able to procure equipment and apparatus at the ‘Krishi Mela’.

The department will also put on display various produces cultivated by the farmers at these ‘Krishi Mela’ in the districts.

Farmers will also get an opportunity to discuss various issues with agricultural experts. They can also get information about the loans which are offered by the State Government.

Following Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s instruction, the State Agriculture Department introduced various social schemes for the farmers. The state government has been providing loans to the farmers, both for seeds and equipment (both buying and hiring), and has introduced crop insurance (called Bangla Shashya Bima), paying the full premium.

As a result of the various schemes and projects, the income of farmers has increased almost three times without adding up to production costs.

It is now 22 years since All India Trinamool Congress was formed. From a small regional party in 1998, when it was formed under the leadership of the firebrand leader, Mamata Banerjee, Trinamool Congress is now a force to reckon with in national politics.

Over these 22 years, there have been numerous memorable moments. Let us take a look at 22 crucial events along the timeline of 22 years, events which have proved to all and sundry that Trinamool Congress always strives to serve the common people, come hell or high weather.

1. Formation of the party

Trinamool Congress was founded on January 1, 1998, and Mamata Banerjee was chosen as the leader of the party. In that year too, the party fought the general elections for the first time and significantly, won eight seats in the Lok Sabha from Bangla.

2. Railways Minister

After the 1999 general election, Mamata Banerjee became the Union Railways Minister, which she remained till 2001.

3. Winning the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC)

In 2000, Trinamool Congress fought in the election for the Kolkata Municipal Corporation for the first time, and won overwhelmingly. For the first time, the Kolkata Mayor was a Trinamool candidate.

4. First Assembly elections

In 2001, Trinamool Congress fought the State Assembly election for the first time, and won in 60 seats.

5. Keshpur and Garbeta massacres

On January 4, 2001, Trinamool workers were massacred in Chhoto Angariya by the workers of CPI(M).

6. Jago Bangla

In 2004, the official mouthpiece of All India Trinamool Congress, Jago Bangla was first published. It is a weekly publication.

7. Singur Movement

In 2006, the then State Government forcibly acquired 1,000 acres of multi-crop agricultural from farmers in Singur for a car factory. Trinamool Congress, led by Mamata Banerjee, started a huge movement to compel the government to return the plots to the unwilling farmers.

8. 26-day hunger strike

Trinamool Congress Chairperson Mamata Banerjee undertook a hunger strike, which lasted for 26 days, against the forcible acquisition of 1,000 acres of farmland in Singur for a car factory by Tata Motors.

9. Nandigram Movement

In a re-run of Singur, in 2007 in Nandigram, the then State Government, tried to forcibly acquire agricultural land. A movement built up, again led by Trinamool Congress. On March 14 of that year, police fired indiscriminately on protesters, killing 14 people.

10. Panchayat election win

In the 2008 Panchayat election, Trinamool Congress put up a great show, forming the Zilla Parishad in East Midnapore and South 24 Parganas districts.

11. Lok Sabha win

In the 2009 general elections, Trinamool Congress won 19 of the 42 Lok Sabha seats from Bangla.

12. Second KMC win

In 2010, Trinamool Congress won the Kolkata Municipal Corporation for a second time, winning 95 of the Corporation’s 141 seats

13. Assembly election win

In 2011, Trinamool Congress won a historic Assembly election, bringing to an end 34 years of Left Front rule. The first Maa-Mati-Manush Government was formed in Bangla under the leadership of Mamata Banerjee.

14. Decimation of Left in Panchayat polls

In 2013, Trinamool Congress won 13 out of 17 Zila Parishads in the State, decimating the Left Front completely.

15. Winning majority of the seats in Lok Sabha from Bangla

Achieving another milestone, in 2014, Trinamool Congress won 34 of the 42 seats in the Lok Sabha election, which is currently the fourth highest in the Lok Sabha.

16. 33% female MPs in Lok Sabha

In the 2014 election for the Lok Sabha, Trinamool Congress hit another milestone – 12 women became Members of Parliament (MP).

17. Victory in Municipal polls

In 2015, Trinamool Congress retained the Kolkata Municipal Corporation, as well as winning 77 other civic body elections.

18. Second Assembly win

In 2016, Trinamool Congress won the Assembly election for a second consecutive time, this time more overwhelmingly than ever. The party, under the strident leadership of Mamata Banerjee, won 211 of the 294 seats, decimating the opposition with the power of the people. Mamata Banerjee became the Chief Minister for a second consecutive term.

19. Singur land returned

After the historic judgment by Supreme Court on August 31, 2006, the land acquisition at Singur was termed unconstitutional. Fulfilling her promise, Mamata Banerjee returned the land deeds to farmers in Singur in September.

20. National party

In recognition of the growing influence that Trinamool Congress is having in national politics, in 2016, the Election Commission recognised the party as a national party. All India Trinamool Congress thus became the seventh national party.

21. Sweeping victory in panchayat elections

Trinamool Congress achieves overwhelming victory in the 2018 panchayat elections, wresting control of all the Zilla Parishads.

22. Protests against NRC and CAB

Trinamool Congress led protests across the State against the divisive and abominable Citizenship (Amendment) Bill and against the Centre’s decision to implement the NRC across the nation.

Mamata Banerjee had carried out numerous movements in the interest of the people over a period of time, but simultaneously she was realising that to take her movement ahead, she needed a separate platform to raise her voice against the barbaric rule of the CPI(M). Being with the Congress party was becoming a hindrance.

It was this idea and need which gave birth to the Trinamool Congress on January 1, 1998. In 1997, when the Congress convention was going on at Netaji Indoor Stadium, Mamata Banerjee organised an outdoor convention. She believed in working for grassroots people. She wanted to work for common people. That is why she and her compatriots chose the name Trinamool.

The time she chose was the end of the 11th Lok Sabha and the beginning of the 12th Lok Sabha. As a politician of much experience and stature, she understood that it was the right time to launch the party and feel the pulse of the electorate, as people were in admiration of her having seen her work.

Trinamool Congress was established on January 1, 1998. “A silent revolution is taking place in West Bengal. The people are on the verge of writing history… A new epoch will start”, said Chairperson Mamata Banerjee.

On the day of the inception of Trinamool Congress, Mamata Banerjee sketched the logo of the party which signifies ‘grass root’ (two saplings on the grass). She thought if the Election Commission approves the logo then she will achieve two goals: one, the launch of her party and two, of simultaneously taking the philosophy of the party and explaining to the people her deep thought behind the logo, which was the message of secularism, “Ek e brinte duti kusum, Hindu Musalman, ekjon tar noyonmoni onno ti tar pran” (two buds on the tree, Hindu and Muslim. If one of them is the eye, then the other is life).

The Election Commission did approve the logo but had also issued a stricture which read if the Trinamool Congress failed to get six-percentage of votes in the 12th Lok Sabha elections, then the pre-symbol will be cancelled. Trinamool Congress well passed the cut-off percentage and the party was born.