Farmers clamour for a hearing
Statesman News Service, 29 December
Agitating farmers in Singur want Trinamul Congress chief Miss Mamata Banerjee in Singur before she meets the state government. The farmers said that they want to discuss certain issues with her so that she can raise them before the government.
Singur Krishi Jomi Raksha Committee leaders today held a meeting at Sanapara in Singur to decide their future course of action. The meeting was attended by Opposition leader Mr Partha Chatterjee, local MLA Mr Rabindranath Bhattacharjee, PDS leaders Mr Samir Putatunda, and Mrs Anuradha Putatunda.
“Farmers who have been waging a war against the state government since May are united in stand that they would accept only those decisions which would serve their interest,” Mr Shankar Jana, convener of the Singur Krishi Jomi Raksha Committee, said. “A large number of non-registered share croppers and landless agricultural labourers have been fighting against the government. The chief minister is still silent about their rehabilitation package. Issues to be discussed in the meeting between the government and the Opposition are not clear. The farmers have welcomed Miss Banerjee’s decision to end fast, but won’t compromise with any unfavourable decision,” Mr Jana said.
The farmers will take out a rally from Bajemelia on Sunday to intensify the movement, he said. Mr Kashinath Koley, who refused to relinquish his 6 bighas of property for the project, said: “If Miss Banerjee will agree to the government’s decision of providing alternative land to the land losers, farmers like us wouldn’t accept it.” Others like Mr Koley said that they wouldn’t part with their land “under any circumstances in the face of any kind of pressure.”
“We will prefer to die, but won’t part with our land,” Mr Manik Das of Beraberi Purbapara said. “Miss Banerjee should first come to Singur and listen to us. She will have to act as our representative during the talks with the government.”
“Issues related to the interest of the farmers, sharecroppers,unrecorded sharecroppers and landless agricultural labourers cannot be chosen by those who are not dependent on land,” Mr Tapan Kolay, a farmer of Bajemelia, said.
Left lost face: Saugata
“Apart from the immense mileage our party received, our leader’s fast drew to us several intellectuals who till recently did not criticise this government,” Mr Saugata Roy, senior Trinamul Congress leader, said. Even a leader of the stature of Mr VP Singh who is known for his proximity to the Left has been apprised of his political allies’ repression in the state, he said.
Didi matters to them
Kunal Chatterjee
From the state government and the Left Front leaders to the common man on the street, Miss Mamata Banerjee’s decision to end her fast may have come as a big relief, but for a small bunch of petty businessmen, the Trinamul supremo’s decision came as a rude jolt to their business proposition.
For the last 25 days, countless hawkers had found the area surrounding Miss Banerjee’s dharna manch a happy hunting ground for their trade with a healthy gathering ensuring good business for them.
Mr Subhas Das, a tea seller who had been camping near the stage, where Miss Banerjee had been on fast, says that he didn’t have to wander around for his business at least for these 25 days. “Thousands of people approached me for a cup of tea including the leaders I saw on the stage. Compared to one large kettle of tea I usually sell, I sold six kettles everyday,” said Mr Das.
Rakib and Rohan, two brothers who sell fruits and evening newspapers, are now experiencing the same hardship. Rohan says that since all evening newspapers had Miss Banerjee in their headlines, they sold like hot cakes.
“Generally, it is hard to sell 200 copies of evening dailies everyday, but here I was surprised that even 500 copies got sold in minutes and I had to rush to the dealer for more. My brother sold fruits near Miss Banerjee’s dais and both of us made a tidy sum,” Rohan said.
Agitating farmers in Singur want Trinamul Congress chief Miss Mamata Banerjee in Singur before she meets the state government. The farmers said that they want to discuss certain issues with her so that she can raise them before the government.
Singur Krishi Jomi Raksha Committee leaders today held a meeting at Sanapara in Singur to decide their future course of action. The meeting was attended by Opposition leader Mr Partha Chatterjee, local MLA Mr Rabindranath Bhattacharjee, PDS leaders Mr Samir Putatunda, and Mrs Anuradha Putatunda.
“Farmers who have been waging a war against the state government since May are united in stand that they would accept only those decisions which would serve their interest,” Mr Shankar Jana, convener of the Singur Krishi Jomi Raksha Committee, said. “A large number of non-registered share croppers and landless agricultural labourers have been fighting against the government. The chief minister is still silent about their rehabilitation package. Issues to be discussed in the meeting between the government and the Opposition are not clear. The farmers have welcomed Miss Banerjee’s decision to end fast, but won’t compromise with any unfavourable decision,” Mr Jana said.
The farmers will take out a rally from Bajemelia on Sunday to intensify the movement, he said. Mr Kashinath Koley, who refused to relinquish his 6 bighas of property for the project, said: “If Miss Banerjee will agree to the government’s decision of providing alternative land to the land losers, farmers like us wouldn’t accept it.” Others like Mr Koley said that they wouldn’t part with their land “under any circumstances in the face of any kind of pressure.”
“We will prefer to die, but won’t part with our land,” Mr Manik Das of Beraberi Purbapara said. “Miss Banerjee should first come to Singur and listen to us. She will have to act as our representative during the talks with the government.”
“Issues related to the interest of the farmers, sharecroppers,unrecorded sharecroppers and landless agricultural labourers cannot be chosen by those who are not dependent on land,” Mr Tapan Kolay, a farmer of Bajemelia, said.
Left lost face: Saugata
“Apart from the immense mileage our party received, our leader’s fast drew to us several intellectuals who till recently did not criticise this government,” Mr Saugata Roy, senior Trinamul Congress leader, said. Even a leader of the stature of Mr VP Singh who is known for his proximity to the Left has been apprised of his political allies’ repression in the state, he said.
Didi matters to them
Kunal Chatterjee
From the state government and the Left Front leaders to the common man on the street, Miss Mamata Banerjee’s decision to end her fast may have come as a big relief, but for a small bunch of petty businessmen, the Trinamul supremo’s decision came as a rude jolt to their business proposition.
For the last 25 days, countless hawkers had found the area surrounding Miss Banerjee’s dharna manch a happy hunting ground for their trade with a healthy gathering ensuring good business for them.
Mr Subhas Das, a tea seller who had been camping near the stage, where Miss Banerjee had been on fast, says that he didn’t have to wander around for his business at least for these 25 days. “Thousands of people approached me for a cup of tea including the leaders I saw on the stage. Compared to one large kettle of tea I usually sell, I sold six kettles everyday,” said Mr Das.
Rakib and Rohan, two brothers who sell fruits and evening newspapers, are now experiencing the same hardship. Rohan says that since all evening newspapers had Miss Banerjee in their headlines, they sold like hot cakes.
“Generally, it is hard to sell 200 copies of evening dailies everyday, but here I was surprised that even 500 copies got sold in minutes and I had to rush to the dealer for more. My brother sold fruits near Miss Banerjee’s dais and both of us made a tidy sum,” Rohan said.
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