BHADUTALA/MIDNAPORE: For long a vociferous advocate of withdrawal of central forces from Maoist bastion Jangalmahal, Mamata Banerjee doesn't want to wait anymore. She wants the UPA government to act on her demand immediately, even if it doesn't go down well with the Delhi ally.
"From Thursday, my party will hit West Midnapore streets with this demand. If need be, Trinamool MPs will also organize protests in Delhi," the Trinamool chief said on Wednesday during a party gathering in Midnapore town, just days after chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee addressed what was seen as a 'comeback' meeting at the same spot. Mamata, though, made it clear the Trinamool would not "betray" the UPA, as the CPM had. But there will be no compromise where respect is concerned, she added.
The Trinamool chief ended her whirlwind tour of the West Midnapore district on Wednesday by throwing a challenge to the CPM, which she referred to as a party of 'supari killers'. "Give me a date and time. I shall be prepared. You tried to finish me off earlier as well but did not succeed. I shall not fight you with guns. The people are ready to give you your just rewards. It is time that the CPM accepts its days are numbered. The people of the state have decided that they want change," Mamata told a huge gathering at the Midnapore College ground.
Lashing out at chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee for his recent remarks against the Trinamool Congress — at his Midnapore meeting, the chief minister accused the party of "protecting" Maoists — Mamata said criminal charges should be filed against him.
"What would have happened had the chief ministers of Bihar, Orissa or Jharkhand made such remarks? How can a chief minister ask 'who will save Mamata?' After all, he is referring to the railway minister of the country. It is not for the CPM to decide when I should come to Midnapore. I shall come and go as I choose."
hadutala/Midnapore: Mamata Banerjee told a gathering in Midnapore town on Wednesday criminal charges should be filed against the chief minister for remarks against her and the Trinamool Congress. "I speak the language of the people. The Trinamool's victory run shall start from Midnapore. I again give a call for central forces to be withdrawn," Mamata said.
She sounded extremely displeased with West Midnapore SP Manoj Verma, who she referred to as a top CPM agent. "He (Manoj Verma) tortures people by slashing them with razor blades and then rubs lime juice and salt into the wounds. Does he think he can escape with the riches he has acquired? I will drag him back and make him apologise to the people. The Trinamool will win the Assembly polls comfortably in places like Lalgarh, Goaltore and Salboni. The CPM is confident of a win in Keshpur. They don't realize that the people of Keshpur will show them the door. What has the government done in the last 34 years. People asked for food. They got bullets instead. Peace can't be achieved without development. What happened to the state government's much touted Salboni project? I have plans for Jangalmahal and will set up a number of industrial units there. I shall also link Lalgarh by rail as soon as peace returns," the Trinamool supremo said.
However, the Trinamool chief chose to lie low on the Maoist question. She only said that the railways can't lay railway lines unless peace returns in Lalgarh.
The first two programmes during the day at Kharagpur and Bhadutala were railway functions. Among those present was CPI MP Probodh Panda. With Mamata going on about new projects, he had little choice but to offer full support. The CPM nearly succeeded in making an issue of Mamata's decision to name the halt station at Bhadutola as Jangalmahal. At the last moment, the railway minister decided to convert the name to Jangalmahal (Bhadutala) Halt.
"We set up the halt station within two months of the demand. Before long, it will be converted into a full-fledged station. The Kharagpur-Purulia Intercity Express will be named Olchiki Express to honour Santhals. I believe this much needs to be done for people who have been neglected for years. Trinamool will win in Lalgarh. I would ask those from the minority community to stand by the Adivasis. CPM should remember that the British didn't succeed in of Midnapore. Just as the CPM showed their backs in Singur and Nandigram, they will slip out of Lalgarh soon," Mamata said.
Probe agencies, joint forces taste success in Bengal in 2010
Posted: Tue Jan 04 2011, 09:52 hrs
With several top Maoist leaders in their net and many others killed, the investigating agencies and the joint forces in West Bengal wrapped up the year 2010 on a note of success.
The arrest of five top Maoist leaders including state committee secretary Kanchan alias Sudip Chongdar and three state committee members by Kolkata Special Task Force from various parts of Kolkata on December 4 was a major blow to the ultras.
According to the STF, Kanchan was an important policy maker and considered the brain behind the attack on the Sildah EFR camp in West Midnapore district where 24 EFR personnel and two others were killed by Maoists.
Additional Commissioner of Police and STF chief Rajiv Kumar termed their arrest as a major success for police and the investigating agencies.
The state CID also achieved major success with the arrest of Venkateshwar Reddy alias Telegu Dipak from the southern fringes of Kolkata last year.
Dipak, considered one of the top leaders in the Maoist hierarchy and reported to be 'in-charge of West Bengal affairs', besides being a close aide of Maoist supremo Kishenji alias Koteshwar Rao, was arrested by the CID in March.
CBI, investigating the Jnaneswari train disaster of May 28 which claimed 159 lives in West Midnapore district, could arrest Bapi Mahato, the main accused from near Jamshedpur in Jharkhand with the assistance of Jharkhand Police in June.
A prime suspect Umakanta Mahato was also killed in an encounter with the joint forces in August.
The joint forces eliminated Sidhu Soren, the supreme commander of Sidhu Kanu Gana Militia, the armed wing of the People's Committee Against Police Atrocities and five aides in Goaltore area in West Midnapore.
Though top leaders like Kishenji, Akash and Sasadhar Mahato were yet to be caught, police claimed that there were occasions when they escaped narrowly.
PCPA secretary Manoj Mahato was arrested by the joint forces from his ancestral home in Birkanr village, near Lalgarh in 2010.
According to official figures over 60 Maoists were killed and over 400 were either arrested or surrendered.
The Maoists killed 110 persons including seven security personnel during the year.
The arrest of five top Maoist leaders including state committee secretary Kanchan alias Sudip Chongdar and three state committee members by Kolkata Special Task Force from various parts of Kolkata on December 4 was a major blow to the ultras.
According to the STF, Kanchan was an important policy maker and considered the brain behind the attack on the Sildah EFR camp in West Midnapore district where 24 EFR personnel and two others were killed by Maoists.
Additional Commissioner of Police and STF chief Rajiv Kumar termed their arrest as a major success for police and the investigating agencies.
The state CID also achieved major success with the arrest of Venkateshwar Reddy alias Telegu Dipak from the southern fringes of Kolkata last year.
Dipak, considered one of the top leaders in the Maoist hierarchy and reported to be 'in-charge of West Bengal affairs', besides being a close aide of Maoist supremo Kishenji alias Koteshwar Rao, was arrested by the CID in March.
CBI, investigating the Jnaneswari train disaster of May 28 which claimed 159 lives in West Midnapore district, could arrest Bapi Mahato, the main accused from near Jamshedpur in Jharkhand with the assistance of Jharkhand Police in June.
A prime suspect Umakanta Mahato was also killed in an encounter with the joint forces in August.
The joint forces eliminated Sidhu Soren, the supreme commander of Sidhu Kanu Gana Militia, the armed wing of the People's Committee Against Police Atrocities and five aides in Goaltore area in West Midnapore.
Though top leaders like Kishenji, Akash and Sasadhar Mahato were yet to be caught, police claimed that there were occasions when they escaped narrowly.
PCPA secretary Manoj Mahato was arrested by the joint forces from his ancestral home in Birkanr village, near Lalgarh in 2010.
According to official figures over 60 Maoists were killed and over 400 were either arrested or surrendered.
The Maoists killed 110 persons including seven security personnel during the year.
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