Kicking off its election campaigning in
Kalimpong, CPM today held a public meeting here at the Trikon Park.
Party leaders like Jibesh Sarkar, Tara Sundas, and KB Watter were
present in the meeting along with the party's Darjeeling constituency
candidate Saman Pathak.
Addressing the meeting that saw minimal
participation of public, Pathak claimed the long existent problem of
hills will be solved through a powerful autonomous administrative set
up, which according to him is an “enhanced sixth schedule”. Pathak said,
“If the Sixth Schedule under section-244 of constitution is amended and
implemented here, the aspirations of people can be fulfilled. GTA must
be upgraded to sixth schedule, which will have immense administrative
powers.”
Pathak asserted CPM is demanding for a
people’s representative from the region to be included in the planning
commission of the state and nation alike, and special development
schemes should be formulated for the region. While calling Congress as
anti-poor and BJP as communal party, Pathak also trained guns at the
TMC. He stated the crime rate has shot up in the state after the TMC
formed the government. “This state occupies first position on the matter
of violence against women and is on fourth place in crimes like murder
and other violence. Trinamool is responsible for this dismal situation
of the state.”
Meanwhile CPM district committee
secretary Jibesh Sarkar said creation of Gorkhaland from Bengal is
infeasible. “We are in favour of a powerful set up based on the concept
of state within a state” he stated. Taking a dig at GJM leadership
Sarkar said, “Mamata Banerjee says Bengal will not be divided. Some
people call her as mother in Kolkata and the same people shout for
Gorkhaland once they return back.”
KB Watter, who also addressed the
meeting, focused on criticizing the Trinamool Congress and Congress.
Alleging TMC of unleashing terror rule, he said, “It (TMC) is not a
political party, it is a gang. The Chief Minister can go to any length
to fulfill her selfish political motives. Enabling the TMC candidate win
is similar to stabbing oneself.” Maintaining that formation of
Gorkhaland will not solve the identity crisis of the Gorkhas living
elsewhere in the country, Watter asserted only a linguistic minority
status as being demanded by CPM will resolve the problem on a national
level.(EOIC)