KMC to build ‘resting places’ for commuters

Posted on August 12, 2017 | by admin2 | Leave a Comment

Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has come up with a plan to build ‘resting places’ for commuters and travellers, in collaboration with private companies on a PPP mode.

Fifty spots have been identified in the southern and western areas of Kolkata – Behala and Garden Reach among them – for building these resting places in the jurisdiction of KMC. Each place would have seating arrangements as well as bathroom facilities.

The maintenance of these places would be in the hands of the private collaborator. Advertisements would pay for the cost of maintenance.

Source: Aajkal

যাত্রী প্রতীক্ষালয় তৈরির পরিকল্পনা কলকাতা পুরসভার

বেসরকারি সংস্থার সঙ্গে যৌথ উদ্যোগে যাত্রী প্রতীক্ষালয় তৈরির পরিকল্পনা কলকাতা পুরসভার।

পাবলিক–প্রাইভেট পার্টনারশিপ (‌পিপিপি) মডেলে বেহালা–সহ দক্ষিণ কলকাতায় তৈরি করা হবে এই যাত্রী প্রতীক্ষালয়।

পুরসভা সূত্রের খবর, বেহালা, গার্ডেনরিচ–সহ দক্ষিণ কলকাতায় ৫০টি জায়গা চিহ্নিত করা হয়েছে। পুরসভার পক্ষ থেকে জায়গা চিহ্নিত করে দেওয়া হয়েছে। সেখানে মাথা ঢাকা সুদৃশ্য যাত্রী প্রতীক্ষালয় তৈরি করা হবে। থাকবে যাত্রীদের বসার জায়গা।

এ জন্য দরপত্র দেওয়া হবে। দরপত্রের ভিত্তিতে বেসরকারি সংস্থাকে দায়িত্ব দেওয়া হবে। রক্ষণাবেক্ষণের দায়িত্বও থাকবে সেই সংস্থার ওপর। বিজ্ঞাপনের মাধ্যমে ওই সংস্থা খরচ চালাতে সক্ষম হবে।

Bengal Transport Dept introduces app for emergency services

Posted on August 12, 2017 | by admin2 | Leave a Comment

An app for emergency services has been created under the aegis of the Bengal Transport Department, aimed at helping commuters in distress. The app would link the public with police departments, which in turn would connect with ambulance and hospital services.

During the first phase to commence next month, four police commissionerates are going to be part of the project – Kolkata, Bidhannagar, Barrackpore and Howrah. The app would be of help during accidents, criminal attacks, attacks on women and similar situations.

When in danger, people can send messages directly to police stations, the Transport Department, fire services, hospitals and pre-designated relatives and friends via the GPS of the mobile phone, which has to be kept on. Only a button needs to be clicked.

The app has a two-way system. Hence messages from the police and others would also reach the mobile phone. An SMS would reach the pre-designated relative or friend’s number with the location of the person marked on a screenshot of Google Maps.

Through the usage of the app, the police would also be able to map areas where particular types of crimes occur more frequently, and therefore arrange adequate precautionary measures.

Source: Ebela

পথে বিপদ থেকে উদ্ধার পেতে অ্যাপ চালু আগামী মাসে

রাজ্য পরিবহণ দপ্তরের উদ্যোগে তৈরি পথ-সুরক্ষা সংক্রান্ত অ্যাপ চালু হতে চলেছে আগামী মাসেই। প্রথম ধাপে কলকাতা,বিধাননগর, ব্যারাকপুর এবং হাওড়া কমিশনারেট এলাকায় চালু হতে চলেছে অ্যাপ। এ নিয়ে সংশ্লিষ্ট দপ্তরগুলির মধ্যে সমন্বয়ের কাজ চলছে বলে পরিবহণ দপ্তর সূত্রের খবর।

পথ দুর্ঘটনা, দুষ্কৃতী আক্রমণ কিংবা মহিলাদের বিরুদ্ধে সংঘটিত অপরাধ-সহ রাস্তায় যে কোনও রকম বিপদে বিশেষ কার্যকরী হতে পারে এই অ্যাপ।

জিপিএস নির্ভর ওই অ্যাপ থেকে মোবাইলের মাধ্যমে পাঠানো বার্তা পৌঁছবে পুলিশ, পরিবহণ দপ্তর, দমকল, হাসপাতাল এবং বিপন্ন ব্যাক্তির আত্মীয়-পরিজনদের কাছে। নির্দিষ্ট অপশনে ক্লিক করলেই পুলিশ কন্ট্রোলরুমে ‘অ্যালার্ম’ বাজবে। সেখান থেকে যিনি সাহায্য চাইছেন তার নাম, পরিচয়, ফোন নম্বর এবং প্রকৃত অবস্থান জানতে পারবে পুলিশ। বার্তাও ভেসে উঠবে সংশ্লিষ্ট ব্যাক্তির মোবাইলে।

Sundarini Scheme to empower women of the Sundarbans

Posted on August 12, 2017 | by admin2 | Leave a Comment

The Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee-led Bengal Government is soon going to launch a new scheme to make the poor women of the Sundarbans region self-sufficient. The Sundarini Scheme will give the local products of the region like cow milk, ghee, chicken and duck eggs, honey, the rare dudhsar variety of rice and moong dal a stepping stone to enter competitive markets.

The State Government has already initiated steps to bring the scheme to fruition. For a start, the milk union of the region is being reorganised. A cooperative society has already been started, comprising women from five blocks of the region. The women deposit the milk drawn from their domestic cows at a designated centre. The amount earned per person ranges from Rs 3,000 to Rs 25,000, depending on the number of cows. The money is deposited in the women’s accounts every 10 days.

The government plans to scientifically package various local edible products and make them available at various places in the state.

To make the scheme popular, well-known television actress, Arshiya Mukherjee, protagonist of the soap, ‘Bhutu’, has been roped in as the brand ambassador.

Source: Bartaman

সুন্দরবনের মহিলাদের স্বনির্ভর করছে ‘সুন্দরিনী’ প্রকল্প

সুন্দরবনের মহিলাদের পালন করা দেশি গরুর দুধ, গাওয়া ঘি, মুরগী ও হাঁসের ডিম, মধু, হারিয়ে যাওয়া দুধসর চাল ও মুগ ডালকে প্রতিযোগিতার বাজারে নিয়ে আসছে মুখ্যমন্ত্রীর ‘সুন্দরিনী’ প্রকল্প। সুন্দরবনের গরীব মহিলাদের আর্থিক ভাবে স্বাবলম্বী করাই এই প্রকল্পের মূল উদ্দেশ্য। সেইমত পরিকল্পনা নিয়ে সুন্দরবনের মিল্ক ইউনিয়নকে ঢেলে সাজাচ্ছে রাজ্য সরকার।

পাঁচটি ব্লকের মহিলাদের নিয়ে শুরু হয়েছে সমবায়। এখানে মহিলারা তাঁদের পালিত গরুর দুধ সংগ্রহ করে সেন্টারে দিয়ে যান। দশদিন অন্তর সেই টাকা সদস্যাদের ব্যাঙ্ক অ্যাকাউন্টে চলে যায়। গোরুর সংখ্যা অনুসারে তিন থেকে পঁচিশ হাজার টাকা আয় হচ্ছে তাঁদের। সকলের প্রচেষ্টায় সুন্দরিনী এখন একটা জায়গায় এসে দাঁড়িয়েছে।

এক উপভোক্তার বক্তব্য অনুযায়ী, সত্যি সুন্দরবনের দেশি গোরুর দুধ, তা থেকে তৈরি ঘি, সেখানকার হাঁসও মুরগীর ডিম, খাঁটি মধু, দুধসর চাল এসব জিনিষ এখনও বাজারে পাওয়া যেতে পারে, ভাবতে পারি নি। পরে জানলাম, এই খাঁটি পণ্যকে বিজ্ঞানসম্মতভাবে প্যাকেট করে মানুষের কাছে পৌঁছে দেওয়ার জন্য সরকার উদ্যোগ নিয়েছে।

এই ‘সুন্দরিনী’ প্রকল্পের জনপ্রিয়তাকে আরও এককাঠি বাড়াতে ব্র্যান্ড অ্যামবাসাডর বাছা হয়েছে বাংলার জনপ্রিয় টিভি সিরিয়ালের অভিনেত্রী ‘ভুতু’ তথা আরশিয়া মুখোপাধ্যায়’কে।

Saugata Roy opposes the introduction of The Financial Resolution and Deposit Insurance Bill, 2017

Posted on August 10, 2017 | by aitc | Leave a Comment

FULL TRANSCRIPT

Sir, Rule 74 states, when a Bill is introduced or on some subsequent occasion, the member in charge may make one of the following motions in regard to one’s own Bill, namely:—

(i) that it be taken into consideration; or
(ii) that it be referred to a Select Committee of the House; or
(iii) that it be referred to a Joint Committee of the Houses with the concurrence of the Council; or
(iv) that it be circulated for the purpose of eliciting opinion thereon:

Provided that no such motion as is referred to in clause (iii) shall be made with reference to a Bill 4[if it contains only provisions dealing with all or any of the matters specified in sub-clauses (a) to (g) of clause (1) of article 110 of the Constitution]:

Provided further that no such motion shall be made until after copies of the Bill have been made available for the use of members, and that any member may object to any such motion being made unless copies of the Bill have been so made available for two days before the day on which the motion is made and such objection shall prevail, unless the Speaker allows the motion to be made.

Here the Minister is referring to a Joint Select Committee under Rule 74(iii). My colleague had explained in detail as to how the whole principal of Standing Committee’s is being circumvented, superseded, bypassed by the Government in its quest to get majority in both Houses.

The same thing actually happened in the case of Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code. I remember when that Bill was brought in Lok Sabha I objected saying that it should not be passed. Then the Government felt that it would not get a majority in the Rajya Sabha. So they sent it to a Joint Select Committee, the fear being that it will not be passed in Rajya sabha. If the Joint Select Committee presents a report, then both Houses get morally bound by it.

Now in the whole process we are weakening the foundation of the Standing Committee system. Normally the practice is that, any legislation concerning any ministry, any department is automatically referred to a Standing Committee, unless it is a small amendment or an inconsequential amendment. Any Bill of a substantial nature is referred to the Standing Committee. As my esteemed colleague Bhartruhari Mahtab has so eloquently stated, that process should not be given a go by.

We have no complaint about the personnel of the Bill because we ourselves are members of both the Committees. We are conscious of the power of the Standing Committee. We have a Finance Committee headed by Veerappa Moily who has given important reports on most of the matters. Why should that Standing Committee be bypassed, be insulted, be overridden by the Government’s desire to bring a Bill?

And then look out how the Bills are coming. On the last but one day, you are bringing a Bill and then a Motion without any scope of discussion. Like, in the earlier Bill, our esteemed colleague NK Premachandran spoke eloquently on how he had no time to study the Bill so that proper opposition to introduction can be made.

You are sitting in the Chair, Sir, and you have long parliamentary experience. Please see that the niceties of parliamentary behaviour are maintained by the Government. If the Chair does not protect us, who will protect the House? Who will protect the Constitution? Who will protect the Rules?

That is why, we seek refuge in your infinite powers from the Chair to support us.

Thank you.

Sukhendu Sekhar Roy speaks on The Banking Regulation (Amendment) Bill, 2017

Posted on August 10, 2017 | by aitc | Leave a Comment

FULL TRANSCRIPT

Sir, I would like to record my dissent about the way the Bill is being discussed today and possibly in the past too. Everyday in the media, it is said that parliamentarians are not serious, they do not want to discuss Bills, etc. But we want to discuss. This Parliament is essentially made for legislation, and not for functions, ceremonies, etc. With this note, I would like to speak on this Bill.

First of all, the objective of this Bill in one line: It seeks to authorise the Reserve Bank of India to issue directions to any banking company or, companies, to effectively use the provisions of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code for the timely resolution of stressed assets. Here, I have a doubt – whether at all there will be time-bound results after imposition of this Financial Bankruptcy Code.

It is true that the NPA has grown alarmingly in recent years. As per the estimates in March 2017, the gross operating profit of the 21 PSU banks taken together stood at Rs 1,50, 240, but the net profit was only Rs 574 crore; whereas the gross NPAs of these PSU banks is Rs 6,05,991 crore. This is highly alarming, there is no doubt about it.

But the question is, whether there would be any impact of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code. So far, the results have come up short of being achieved in a time-bound manner and am constrained to say that no, this objective cannot be achieved. Due to the lack of time, I cannot go through the each and every provision of this Bill. But the Bill has essentially created enormous scope for more and more, and unending litigations.

I am giving one example. Recently the Government advised the RBI to initiate proceedings under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code against 12 defaulting account holders, and one such defaulting account-holder has got attested from the High Court and all proceedings against the entity have been stayed; for years together this will continue. In this way, each and every big fish has eaten up public money from the banks.

Now, there are 550 large NPA accounts, not 12. Naresh ji told us about 12; it is, maybe, 25 per cent of the total NPA but there are 550, according to the estimates of the RBI, as it appeared in newspapers. Hence, according to me the, amendments will help the big fishes who have eaten our public money rather than help in the recovery of valuable assets of the people of India.

As per RBI guidelines, criminal proceedings can be drawn against wilful defaulters. There are circulars, master circulars of RBI, there are a number of circulars whereby the RBI has directed banks to initiate criminal proceedings. I would request, through you, the Hon. Finance Minister, to inform this House about how many criminal proceedings have/had been initiated against those big fishes so far. This House wants to know, because the Hon. Finance Minister is also on record saying that criminal proceedings will be drawn against those defaulting – those who have committed a fraud, those who have siphoned off money through loans. If at all, how many criminal procedures have been initiated? Why is the Government shying away from naming those people?

The Government has pleaded before the apex court that, please for God’s sake, don’t reveal the identities of those people. Why this double standard? Can the Government place before the House, why has it not initiated any move to amend the archaic RBI Act of 1934 and the archaic Banking Regulation Act of 1949, whereby some draconian provisions have been made, enabling the RBI and the banks from disclosing or parting with any commercial information? The time has come for the Government to make a move to amend those archaic provisions, those draconian provisions of the archaic Acts? This is my demand before this Government, through you.

Now I’m giving you other examples: there are not only 12, but other defaulters that the RBI did not name, that the media has speculated about – 15 to 16 names, including Essar, Bhushan, Lanko, Videocon, Punj Lloyd, Electrosteel Steels, Aban Holdings, ABG Shipyards, Monnet Ispat, and other notorious names. Among them, one has run away, not Mallya, but another gentleman who has run away from this country, and he has taken the citizenship of St Kitts; and with St Kitts, the Indian Government has no extradition treaty, and so it cannot bring him back to this country and produce him before a court. So this is what is happening. This is why I say that this Amendment will do nothing. It will come with a big zero – with zero results, and that is why I oppose this Bill in its entirety.

Thank You, Sir.

Saugata Roy speaks during a Calling Attention Motion on the flood situation prevailing in different parts of India

Posted on August 10, 2017 | by aitc | Leave a Comment

FULL TRANSCRIPT

Thank you Madam. I thank the Home Minister for the detailed statement given by him. Although I am a little intrigued why the Home Minister should reply to a debate on floods during the Calling Attention Motion. This year, 24 States have been affected by floods, the most-affected being Gujarat, Assam, Rajasthan and Bengal.

One thing that has been pointed out by the CAG is that India’s flood forecast capability is a washout. We have not been able to forecast floods at all. Now I go to the statement in detail. Before that I may mention that in the whole country, the maximum number of people killed is in Gujarat – 229. Bengal is second at 149, Maharashtra, third at 105, and Assam, fourth at 84. About crops washed away, Gujarat is at the top, over an area of 8.91 lakh acres; Rajasthan is second at 8.34 and Bengal is third at 4.23.

I want to bring to the notice of the House that there has been rainfall in all parts of the country but in Bengal it is totally a man-made flood. It has happened in six districts of Bengal due to the release of water from the barrages of Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC), which is under the Central Government. The State Government has repeatedly appealed to the DVC to desilt its reservoirs in Tilaiya, Maithon and Panchet, but it has done nothing about the matter.

When the heavy rainfall started, Bengal had repeatedly appealed to the DVC to not to release water. The Chief Minister herself spoke to the DVC authorities and requested them not to release all the water at one go; but they still released the water. As a result, six districts of Bengal are badly flooded. And as I told you 129 people have died and 4.23 lakh acres of crops have been washed away. You would be surprised, Madam, that the maximum number of houses destroyed is in Bengal – 1,43,000 – as compared to 26,000 in Assam.

The Prime Minister visited Gujarat, which is all right; it is his home State which is badly affected. He also visited Assam, which is run by the ruling party. It is a good thing. The Ministers of State visited Assam and Arunachal Pradesh but none of the big honchos from the Central Government visited our unfortunate State of Bengal. While the Prime Minister announced a rehabilitation package for Gujarat, Assam and the north-eastern States, no package has been announced for Bengal till date. We feel unfortunate, left out, and we wonder in our minds whether we have been the victims of political discrimination.

My question to the Honourable Minister is direct:

A. Will the Union Government take proper steps for desilting the dams of Damodar Valley Corporation and also control the release of water from dams and barrages which are controlled by the Central Government’s Damodar Valley Corporation?

B. Will the Union Government announce any package for Bengal for relief and rehabilitation, and for recovery and restoration of embankments that are being washed away?

Our Chief Minister met Rajnath Singh ji the other day; she wanted to meet the Prime Minister but that day the Prime Minister was visiting Gujarat. I hope that Bengal will get relief from the Central Government and not feel politically discriminated against.

Thank you, Madam.

Satabdi Roy asks a question on support for women cricket players

Posted on August 10, 2017 | by aitc | Leave a Comment

FULL TRANSCRIPT

Madam, the male cricketers get ads; they have IPL and many other benefits. Women cricketers play for this country. Their fight is the same. But when it comes to money, their share is so less. We must talk about equality.

I would request the Minister to introduce some support for the women cricketers so that they are equal to their male counterparts. Thank you.

Sukhendu Sekhar Roy speaks during discussion on the 75th anniversary of Quit India Movement

Posted on August 9, 2017 | by aitc | Leave a Comment

FULL TRANSCRIPT

Thank you Sir. Bombay ki Gwalior Tank Maidan mein Congress ka jab aitihasik adhibesan huwa, us mein Nehru Ji resolution move karte huwe unhone bola, and I quote, “We shall fight to the finish”. Aur Gandhi Ji unke valedictory address mein unhone bola, and I quote, “Here is a Mantra, a short one that I give you. You may imprint it on your heart, and let every breath of yours give expression to it. The Mantra is, Do or, Die, karenge ya marenge. British quit India, Angrej Bharat chhoro.”

Congress ko ban kiya gaya. Sare neta aur ek lakh se adhik Congress workers ko sara Hindustan mein pakda gaya. Lekin jaise ki Ram Gopal Ji ne bataya, Jai Prakash Narayan, Achyut Patwardhan, hamare Ram Manohar Lohiya Ji aur Biju Patnayak, Sucheta Kripalini – aise bohot saare neta unhone underground chale gaye.

Leaflets se instruction diya jata tha, yahan tak ki underground se, radio station se bhi instruction diya jata tha Usha Mehta ki netritwa mein, jo ki Bombay se kiya gaya. Aur is tarah sara Hindustan mein andolan fayl gaya.

Main do line padna chahata hoon ek purane leaflet se, jo ki Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee ne us samay issue kiya tha September 20, 1942 ko. Wo bol rahe hain is leaflet mein, “Hindustan ki azadi ki ladai chhir gayi hain. Aaj hum apne ko azaad samajhte hain, Aur British sarkar ko satta ko nehi mante hain. Isliye british sarkar ki kisi bhi kanoon aur hokum ko nehi manna chahiye. Aur us hukumat ke khilaf kya karna chahiye?”

30 bullet point mein unhone bata diya. Main do teen point bolna chahta hoon quote karke yahan se. “Shikshak aur vidyarthi school college chhor do”, “Wakil mokhtar kacheri jana chhor do”, “police paltan wale aur sarkari naukar, sarkari naukri chhor de”, “railway line ukhad diye jaye”, “bade bade pool tod diye jaye”, “taar aur telephone ke taar kat diya jaye” aur “sadak kat diye jaye”. To is tarah sara Hindustan yeh August Kranti Andolan mein uchhal gaye.

Sir, iske baad hum jante hain ki Maharashtra ki Satara mein jo ki Nana Patil, YB Chavan, aur Uttar Pradesh ki Ballya mein Chittu Pandey ki netritwa mein aur Bengal ke Tamluk mein Satish Samanta, Ajoy Mukherjee – in logone nationalist governments form kiya.

Sabse adhik samay teen saal se jyada Satara mein, teen saal chala Bangal mein aur kai mahino chala Ballya mein. Lekin, wahan woh Chittu, unhone jitney Congress karmi ko pakad liya tha sabko reha kar diya. Saare thane, adalat kabza kar liya gaya tha. Yeh yaadgar hai aur yeh yaadgar bane rahegi jab tak Hindustan ka tiranga phaylega Lal Kile par, tab tak yeh yaadgar bane rahegi.

Sir, main bolna chahhta hoon ki isi samaye jab yeh andolan khatam hone wala tha, us samay seema ke us par se Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose ki lalkar thi ‘Mujhe khoon do, main tumhe aazaadi doonga!’ aur Azad Hind Sena ki woh mahan krantikari log, woh kuch kar diya Dilli ke liye, nara lagaya, ‘Chalo Dilli, kadam, kadam badhaye jaa, tu sher-e Hind aage bar, marne se phir bhi tu na dar, aasman pe uhtha ke sar, josh-e-watan badhaye jaa!” Aur is tarah Hindustan ki azadi ka jo momentum create hua uske baad mein mutiny, naval mutiny ke baad INA trial hua Red Fort mein, yeh saare culminate kiya aur iske wajah se humko azaadi mila.

Yeh saare Hindustan ki janta ki ek aitihasik yogdan tha jis mein das hazar se adhik logon ko goli se uda diya gaya tha; lakhon logon ko jail bhej diya gaya tha aur is tarah Hindustan azad hua. Lekin hamein khed hai ki us samay bhi kuch vishwasghtak the! Mirzafar the, jo yeh andolan mein yogdan nahin kiya! Us samay bhi kuch party the jo 120 panne ka report bhej raha hai us zamane ke Home Secretary Watson ke paas ki main tumhare nirdesh par kaam kar raha hoon aur yeh August Kranti andolan ko barbaad karne ke liye har ek kadam utha raha hai. Bengal mein bhi us samaye jo mantri mandal the, mandal ke deputy chief minister jo ki ek party ka second-in-command thay, unhone Governor ko chitthi likh ke bola, ki yeh yeh humne karyavai kiya hai yeh August Kranti Andolan ko daman karne ke liye!

Aaj bhi humare desh mein aise vishwasghatak hai! Aise Mir Jafar hai, aur isliye humara bhaichara sankat mein pad gaye! Humara ekta sankat mein pad gaye, aur isliye humare netri Mamata Banerjee aaj ki is aitihasik din mein wohi Tamluk pe jaake, Midnapur mein jaake aam sabha sambodhit karengi aur naara uthayengi, BJP Bharat Chhoro (Bengali).

Jis tarah Angrezon ne divide and rule politics apnaya tha, us tarah hi BJP ne bhi divide and rule politics apanaya hai aur humla kar rahe hai humare buniyadi, humare buniyadi, star upar. Toh, aaj is avsar par main sare shahidon ko shraddhanjali deke apna vaktavya khatam karta hoon.

75 years of Quit India Movement: Trinamool MPs make stirring speeches in both Houses

Posted on August 9, 2017 | by aitc | Leave a Comment

Trinamool MPs Sukhendu Sekhar Roy and Sugata Bose made impressive speeches in both Houses of the Parliament during a special discussion to commemorate the 75th anniversary of Quit India Movement.

In Rajya Sabha

Sukhendu Sekhar Roy began his speech quoting Gandhi Ji’s iconic slogan, “Karenge ya marenge” and Nehru’s clarion call of “We shall fight to the finish” at Congress’s historic session in Bombay on August 8, 1942.

He referred to the contributions of several leaders – Jayprakash Narayan, Ram Manohar Lohia, Sucheta Kripalani among others – to the movement. He also read out portions from a leaflet issued by the Bihar Pradesh Congress in September, 1942.

He fondly remembered the clarion call of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, “Chalo Dilli”. He said this movement will stay alive in our hearts as long as the tricolour flies high atop the ramparts of Red Fort.

He also referred, with a heavy heart, to the Mir Jafars at that time, who colluded with the British to defeat the August Kranti Andolan. He said such Mir Jafars still exist in the country. He said BJP was following the British policy of ‘Divide and Rule’, against which Mamata Banerjee has launched the ‘BJP Bharat Chhoro’ movement at Tamluk, which saw active participation by people in the Quit India Movement.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL TRANSCRIPT OF HIS SPEECH

WATCH HIS FULL SPEECH BY CLICKING HERE

In Lok Sabha

Sugata Bose, in his eloquent and stirring speech, called August 9 a ‘red letter day’ in Indian history. He reminisced how his own father was severely wounded as he led a procession of students on the streets of Calcutta in September, 1942.

He highlighted the role played by Adivasis and peasants. Netaji had wanted to be in India by August, 1942, he said. “Had the armed thrust of the Azad Hind Fauj coincided with the rebellion of the Quit India Movement, then the history of India might have taken an even more glorious turn,” he remarked.

Sugata Bose lamented that there was a “gap between sankalp and siddhi in 1947”. He said, “We got independent India but not united India.” He said that the 75th anniversary of Quit India Movement, and the 70th anniversary of independence, call for “soul-searching introspection, rather than chest-thumping celebration”.

“The final five and a half months of Gandhi Ji’s life constituted a message for the predicament we face in India today. Today we see irreligion masquerading as religion,” Sugata Bose said. He reminded the Government of Gandhi Ji’s message to the then Government in mid-November, 1947: “No Muslim in the Indian Union should feel his life unsafe”.

“The 75th anniversary of Quit India Movement, and the 70th anniversary of freedom may be an apt occasion to ponder the relation between the past and the future, the old and the new,” was his message for the Prime Minister.

Sugata Bose also quoted Swami Vivekananda’s vision for India, one of religious harmony and tolerance. He quoted verses penned by Tagore – passages from the song which later was adopted as the National Anthem – to give a strong message against cow vigilantism and communal violence.

He appealed to the Prime Minister to “stop the engines of coercion on its tracks”. We need to be clear about what our sankalp is for 2022, he remarked and demanded “strong action against those who are spreading the poison of hatred and killing in the name of religion”.

We have to make sure we do not have a dominance of one community and one language, Sugata Bose said, adding: “We must counterpose an alternative and a better vision of a new India based on cultural intimacy of all communities of the country.”
“We must celebrate and respect our differences to rise above them. We must avoid all temptations to be chauvinistic and jingoistic,” was his message for his colleagues in the Lok Sabha.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL TRANSCRIPT OF HIS SPEECH

WATCH HIS FULL SPEECH BY CLICKING HERE

Bengal CM criticises Opposition for fanning tension in the Hills, bats for talks

Posted on August 9, 2017 | by admin2 | Leave a Comment

Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday lashed out at the Opposition for fanning tensions in the Hills just for their vested interests. She gave a statement in the State Assembly on Tuesday in connection with the situations in the Hills.

She once again requested parties in Darjeeling Hills to shun violence so that common people could get some respite from the indefinite shutdown.

Urging the parties to hold discussions with the state government over its demand for a separate state of Gorkhaland, the CM told the Assembly that schools, offices and tourism have come to a halt due to the bandh in the Hills and the region has suffered a loss of Rs 550 crore.

Mamata, according to PTI, said that Darjeeling had been a part of West Bengal and she will not allow its division, adding that time has come for election to the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration as its five-year-term comes to an end.

বন্‌ধ প্রত্যাহার করলেই আলোচনা, দার্জিলিং প্রসঙ্গে বললেন মুখ্যমন্ত্রী

দার্জিলিং পাহাড়ে আন্দোলনকারীদের সঙ্গে আলোচনায় প্রস্তুত রাজ্য সরকার। তবে আন্দোলনকারীদের আগে হিংসা ও বন্‌ধ প্রত্যাহার করতে হবে। গণতান্ত্রিক পদ্ধতি মেনে আলোচনার মাধ্যমেই এই পরিস্থিতির যে সুষ্ঠু মীমাংসা সম্ভব, সেটা আবার মনে করিয়ে দিলেন মুখ্যমন্ত্রী মমতা ব্যানার্জি।

মঙ্গলবার বিধানসভায় জিটিএ এবং দার্জিলিঙের সাম্প্রতিক পরিস্থিতি নিয়ে একটি লিখিত রিপোর্ট পেশ করতে গিয়ে বিধানসভায় এমন মনোভাব প্রকাশ করেছেন রাজ্যের মুখ্যমন্ত্রী। তিনি জানিয়েছেন, এখন পর্যন্ত পাহাড়ে ৫৫০ কোটি টাকার আর্থিক ক্ষতি হয়েছে।

মুখ্যমন্ত্রী বলেন, “দার্জিলিং ইস্যুতে বামপন্থীরা চিরকালই মানুষকে বিভ্রান্ত করছে। ভাষা নিয়ে কোনও বিজ্ঞপ্তি জারি হয়নি। ওটা বামপন্থীদের রটনা। দার্জিলিং পাহাড়ে গোর্খাল্যান্ডের দাবি বা অন্যান্য আন্দোলন বহুকাল আগে থেকেই চলছে। আমরা পরিস্থিতি ক্রমশ স্বাভাবিক করেছি। প্রতি ১০ বছর অন্তরই ওদের একটা আন্দোলন চাগিয়ে ওঠে। সাম্প্রতিক অতীতে গোর্খা জনমুক্তি মোর্চা পাহাড়ে সমর্থন হারাচ্ছিল। পুর নির্বাচনে তার ছায়া পড়েছিল। চুক্তি অনুসারে জিটিএ–‌র পাঁচ বছরের মেয়াদ শেষ হওয়ার মুখে। এবার সেখানে নির্বাচন হওয়ার কথা। এই পরিস্থিতিতে গোর্খা জনমুক্তি মোর্চা হারানো জমি পুনরুদ্ধারের জন্য গোর্খাল্যান্ডের দাবিতে নতুন করে আন্দোলন করছে। রাজ্য প্রশাসন যথেষ্ট সংযম ও ধৈর্যের পরিচয় দিচ্ছে। বিপুল আর্থিক ক্ষতি হয়েছে। সবচেয়ে বড় ক্ষতি মানুষের প্রাণহানি। তা–‌ও আমরা ওদের সঙ্গে আলোচনার মাধ্যমে পরিস্থিতি স্বাভাবিক রাখার জন্য দরজা খোলা রেখেছি।”