Trinamool Chairperson Mamata Banerjee today made her `last appeal` to the Central Government for debt restructuring, from the platform of the All India Trinamool Congress Extended General Council meeting at Netaji Indoor Stadium. She said that the Party will stage dharnas at New Delhi if the demands are not met and she herself will lead the demonstrations.
The is the first Extended General Council meeting of the party after securing a landslide victory in Panchayat and municipal elections.
Delegates from across India
Apart from delegates and party workers from the around the State, the meeting was attended by party representatives from other states as well. Party functionaries from Manipur, Assam, Sikkim, Tripura, Mizoram, UP, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Haryana, Bihar, Kerala graced the stage and some of them also addressed the gathering. Braving the rain, party delegates poured in from diverse places with enthusiasm and excitement.
The meeting began at 11 am with the State President of the party, Subrata Bakshi hoisting the party flag.
Shri Bakshi set the agenda for the meeting. Preparations for Lok Sabha elections to be the top priority for the party, he stressed.
Didi Speaks
Rising to speak amidst tumultuous applause, Trinamool Chairperson Mamata Banerjee thanked the Maa Mati Manush of West Bengal for their continued faith on the party. The fact that grassroots workers get the same respect in this party, sets Trinamool apart from the rest, the Chairperson said.
She asked party workers to work hard in Malda, North Dinajpur, Jalpaiguri and Murshidabad for the upcoming elections. She said that Trinamool Congress is an epitome of struggle and cannot be terrorised with muscle power. She reiterated that the recent poll victories were just the beginning and workers should not become complacent about the election results.
The victory in Panchayat and municipal elections will be dedicated to Maa, Mati, Manush at a rally scheduled on 25th November, at Brigade Parade ground in Kolkata, declared the party Chairperson. Maa, Mati Manush Dhonyobad. Maa Mati Manush Zindabad – this will be the slogan of the Brigade rally, she said. She asked the party leaders to reach out to people during the festive season of Durga Puja, Chhat and Eid. She said that West Bengal has always been a land of communal harmony and that any attempts by groups with vested interests to divide the people on religious lines, should be nipped in the bud.
On the question of discipline within the party, Chairperson Mamata Banerjee did not mince her words. She said that discipline is the main mantra of the party. The Disciplinary Committee of the party was given free hand to deal with anti-party activities in the strictest of ways. The party is above individuals, she said. We cannot let the image of party to take a beating because of handful of people, who use the party for vested interests, the chairperson added.
She sent a strong message to Centre over debt restructuring and moratorium issue. She asked the party MPs to submit a deputation against the Raghuram Rajan report. While she expressed happiness that some states stand to benefit from the report, she vented her ire on the Central government for the step-motherly attitude towards Bengal.
The Chairperson also attacked the CPI(M) over the party`s funding from “unknown source“. Citing a letter from the Election Commission, she asked the Communist Party to come clean on its funding. She reiterated that CPM, Congress and BJP have teamed up in the state against the government.
The Chairperson also highlighted the success of WB govt in 100 days work scheme and in setting up fair price medicine shops. She appealed to people not to invest money in chit funds and said that the State is taking an initiative to start Small Saving Schemes.
The Chief Minister also informed the crowd of the `Kanyashree` scheme that is going to be launched on 1 October. She said that 24 lakh families have been earmarked for receiving the benefits of `Kanyashree` scheme this year. She also talked about the success story of the Shishu Sathi scheme, thanks to which several children received cardiac surgeries free of cost.
She said that party leaders cannot afford to be alienated from the people. She also proposed the formation of a Panchayat task force to monitor the work of Zilla Parishads.
What Other Party Leaders Said
Sougata Roy, MP, Lok Sabha, said that the journey that began in 2008 has come of age in2013; Trinamool has reached its finest hour. He said that Mamata Banerjee`s career is one of sacrifice and struggle. Anti-party activities are thus an insult to her. Mamata Banerjee led Trinamool Congress will be the kingmaker in national politics after 2014 elections, he added. He called for nation-wide protests against Raghuram Rajan panel recommendation that will reduce WB’s share of central funds. He urged the party workers to ask themselves what they can do for the party, not what the party can do for them.
State President of the party from Uttar Pradesh, Shri Shyam Sunder Sharma, in his brief speech invited the Chairperson to visit Uttar Pradesh.
The State President of the Women’s wing of the party, and minister in West Bengal government, Chandrima Bhattacharya highlighted how the present Government has laid stress on Women`s welfare through schemes like Kanyashree.
TMC MP and President of the All India Trinamool Youth Congress, Suvendu Adhikari urged the party workers to shun complacency and serve the people to the best of their abilities, so that the mandate of Bengal in the upcoming Parliamentary elections is again in favour of Trinamool.
The State President of the party from Sikkim and the Ex-Dy CM of the State, PT Lucksom said that he was impressed reading the constitution of the party and the reference to the development of the Hills. He thanked the party Chairperson for giving him the opportunity to work for TMC
The party MP from Basirhat, Haji Nurul Islam, in his speech, informed the delegates about the initiatives taken up by the Government for development of Minority Communities.
Kim Gangte, Party head of Manipur Pradesh Trinamool Congress in her short speech reiterated her faith on Didi and said that only under Didi`s rule the people of Manipur will get real taste of independence.
Party Chairman from Tripura, Ratan Chakraborty shared some glaring facts on the misgovernance of Left Front rule in his state. Tripura needs Trinamool to get rid of CPI(M), he opined.
In his short speech, the Honourable minister for Industry and Commerce, Partha Chatterjee urged party workers to value discipline. He said that the party owes its existence to Mamata Banerjee and cannot afford to sully her credibility.
Minister for Panchayat and Rural Development, Subrata Mukherjee in his speech said that time was ripe to initiate preparations for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. He also took a dig at those who call Trinamool a regional party and said that today`s meeting was truly an endorsement of Trinamool’s all-India presence. He also pointed out that Mamata Banerjee would be the kingmaker during the formation of next government at the Centre.
TMC MP and Leader of the Parliamentary Party in Lok Sabha, Sudip Bandopadhyay reminded party workers that the recent election results show a renewed faith the people of Bengal have placed on the party. The hard-earned faith should be retained through social work at the grassroots level. There is no place for complacency in politics, he opined.
Resolutions adopted at the Meeting
In the end, the Chairperson proposed four resolutions, which were unanimously adopted by the house. The party slammed the rising prices of essential commodities. Trinamool Congress slammed the anti-people policies of the Central government. The party reiterated that it will not tolerate any breach of discipline and anti-party activities by any member. It was also decided that the party will conduct dharna in New Delhi later this year against the Central govt’s discriminatory attitude towards Bengal.
The meeting ended with the National Anthem and slogans saluting the motherland and the party.
