Gautam Deb gives out free food grains in Bijanbari

Bijanbari, Oct. 2: North Bengal development minister Gautam Deb today distributed free rice, flour and potatoes to hill residents in Bijanbari in a bid to woo local people.

About 300 people gathered today at Bijanbari, about 35km from Darjeeling town, to take the free grain while Deb criticised the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha.

Several hill businessmen were arrested last month on the suspicion that they had helped the Morcha by diverting PDS grains to the party, which distributed the supply in the hill towns on strike days.

Deb said the distribution of free food grain was a sign of the Trinamul’s commitment to stand by the people in the hills. “This is the commitment of our party to stand by the poor people. We are not a rich party but our party is rich in its heart,” the minister said.

During the hill strike, the government had tried to distribute food grain, but there were few takers then.

But today, as Trinamul leaders were making speeches inside the Bijanbari community hall, there was a constant trickle of people to the place where the food grain was stocked.

Rupmaya Subba, a villager of Lower Samanden busty in Darjeeling, said: “Even during the bandh, we had heard that rations were being distributed at the BDO’s office. We were, however, told then that we should not accept the rations. However, this time no one has told us not to collect rations.”

Before the distribution of food grain, Deb lambasted the Morcha.

“We are aware of the atmosphere in the hills, and despite this you have come. We will always stand by you. I have just inspected the Bijanbari bridge and it has not been constructed properly. I will immediately call up the PWD minister and the chief engineer on the poor quality of construction,” Deb said.

He added: “I know the son-in-law of a GTA executive member has constructed this bridge but we will not spare anyone. Even Bimal Gurung is not above the law of the land.”

Deb said he had been to places where Bimal Gurung and Roshan Giri had not visited in the hills.

“I trekked for one hour and forty-five minutes in Sitong to reach places where Roshan Giri, the GTA member of the area, has not visited. Our chief minister, Mamata Banerjee, has come to the hills 18 times and no other previous chief minister had visited the hills so many times,” Deb said.

The Trinamul leader also said the party would take to the streets to protests the Centre’s role in calling a tripartite meeting without consulting the state government.

A bus service between Bijanbari and Siliguri was also flagged off today by the minister. A Trinamul leader also announced that GTA workers would be joining the party in Kurseong on October 6.(The Telegraph)

Deb warns of strict action against agitators

The state government will not tolerate anyone, including the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, taking the law into their hands,  ministers will continue visiting the hills to oversee development work, while the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration can be run by a deputy chief executive.

The above assertion came from North Bengal Development minister Gautam Deb today in Bijanbari and thoroughly reflected the state government’s mood.

Deb, the Trinamool Congress leader from Siliguri, said strict action would be taken against those who have called the 12-hour ‘chakka jam’ on Thursday and also warned of arresting more GJM leaders.

“Nobody can take the law into their hands, which includes GJM leaders. We will take strict action against those individuals trying to create trouble in the hills,” said the minister who was in Bijanbari to inaugurate a North Bengal State Transport Corporation bus service from to Siliguri via Darjeeling.

The minister also distributed aata, potatoes and rice and surveyed the newly-built bridge over the Chota Rangeet river.

Further, Deb made it clear the state government could not be by-passed to convene a tripartite meeting. “The prime minister has given a written assurance about the state government being taken into confidence and its consent taken while calling tripartite talks. However, the central government is playing games and instigating the GJM by unilaterally calling for talks. We will vehemently protest this decision and take to the streets if need be,” the NBDD minister said.

The Union government has conveyed to the GJM of holding a tripartite meeting on October 23 in New Delhi to discuss the hills issue.

Responding to questions of the Morcha’s threat of continuing its agitation post October 20, Deb advised the party to opt for the development path instead.

“I hope good sense will prevail among the GJM leadership. They must honour the GTA agreement and concentrate on development work.

Peace in the region is of prime importance,” he said, adding a lot has to be done in rural areas that have been long neglected.

“I will visit all the eight blocks in the hills comprising 112 gram panchayats to see what needs to be done. I have found from my previous visits there is a considerable BPL populace in the rural regions that require MR shops to avail of subsidised food grains. I will take the matter up with the state government,” said the minister.

The TMC minister also refused to accept the spree of arrests of GJM leaders and their bail rejections were on the behest of the state government. “The police department is doing its duty. If the law is broken, those responsible will be arrested. The court takes its own decisions and the state government has nothing to do with it,” he maintained.

On the query about Binay Tamang, the GJM assistant secretary and GTA member who is still behind bars even after being elected as the new chief executive of the GTA, Deb said, “The deputy chief executive can run the GTA in the absence of his superior. His (Tamang’s) release is a prerogative of the court and we have no opposition to it”.(EOI)