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WB Assembly witnesses bedlam over LF protest
It was Bedlam at the West Bengal Assembly after Left Front members protested a minister`s statement blaming the CPI(M) for spreading rumours.
Kolkata: It was Bedlam at the West Bengal
Assembly on Thursday after Left Front members protested a minister`s
statement blaming the CPI(M) for spreading rumours that water
of the Dangoria plant in South 24-Parganas district had been
poisoned.
PHE Minister Subrata Mukherjee said a rumour was being spread since last night that water in the Dangoria plant of the Dangoria Arsenic Free Project, had been poisoned.
He said those spreading the rumours urged people not to drink or even touch the water from the plant, which reaches 15 lakh people across nine blocks.
Pointing out that the constituencies of Speaker Biman Bandopadhyay and Deputy Speaker Sonali Guha were also served by the plant, Mukherjee said after consulting them, he sent a team of engineers to the plant and had the water tested in the state-of-the-art PHE laboratory.
The water was found to be safe after examination, he said, adding that people of the area were informed through mobile loudspeakers about the safety of the water and the district administration and police have also been alerted.
Mukherjee said he had information that the rumour was being spread by the CPI(M).
At this, Left Front members were on their feet, demanding that Mukherjee`s statement blaming the CPI(M) be expunged. Describing the statement from the Treasury Bench, in the presence of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, as "irresponsible", Leader of Opposition Surjya Kanta Mishra also demanded that the statement be expunged.
Describing the PHE minister as a seasoned politician, Banerjee said whatever Mukherjee had said in his statement on the issue was on the basis of enquiries.
While the Opposition was free to criticise her as chief minister, they had no right to play with the lives of the people, Banerjee said.
Accusing the Left Front of not taking any initiative in quelling tension in its 35 years of rule, she said during the riots in the city after the Babri Masjid demolition, she had met the then Chief Minister Jyoti Basu appealing to him to take steps in bringing the law and order situation under control.
Banerjee said earlier, in a case of hooch deaths in Kidderpore area here, she had taken the initiative in having the victim`s post-mortems conducted when no minister from the then Left Front government had responded. The chief minister said she had also taken the initiative to move the Howrah district administration in stopping clashes at Uluberia and Chengail areas, although she was not in the government then. An enquiry would be conducted to find out who the rumour-mongers were, she said.
Asserting that it was a crime to spread rumours, Banerjee said this was being done to tarnish the image of her government.
Not convinced, Opposition members trooped to the Well and Mishra was seen displaying the Assembly rule book to the Speaker, who, however, continued with the business of the House and told Mishra that he would take a decision on his demand after examining Mukherjee`s speech.
Later, addressing a press conference jointly with Mukherjee, the chief minister said CPI(M) will be responsible if anything similar happens in future. "Because they are not in power, (the CPI-M) is trying to embarrass the government. We want to move ahead with everyone in a democratic manner. But if anybody takes advantage of our courtesy and indulges in the politics of killing people, it will not be tolerated."
Pointed out that the recent hooch tragedy that killed 173 people and the rumour about poisoned water both took place in South 24-Parganas district, Banerjee said the CPI(M) was responsible as it wanted to "capture the district Zilla Parishad which is now held by the Trinamool Congress".
"They are doing this so that they can capture the Zilla Parishad. They know they cannot do it by democratic means. So, they are doing all this."
Pointing out that Trinamool Congress panachayat members were not being allowed to work in 16 districts where the Zilla Parishads are held by CPI(M), she said, "Most panchayats are defunct. So I have asked the BDOs to ensure that work under NREGA are carried out." Stating that SMSes were sent to a section of the media threatening more such rumours, Banerjee said once the enquiry is conducted, it will become clear that such moves were the result of a conspiracy.
"I am stunned to think that those who kill people for political gains participate in democratic politics," she said adding "only the CPI(M) and our Maoist friends do such things."
Banerjee said when her party Trinamool Congress was in Opposition in the Assembly, the salaries of her party MLAs were deducted because she had come to meet them during the anti-land acquisition movement at Singur.
PTI
PHE Minister Subrata Mukherjee said a rumour was being spread since last night that water in the Dangoria plant of the Dangoria Arsenic Free Project, had been poisoned.
He said those spreading the rumours urged people not to drink or even touch the water from the plant, which reaches 15 lakh people across nine blocks.
Pointing out that the constituencies of Speaker Biman Bandopadhyay and Deputy Speaker Sonali Guha were also served by the plant, Mukherjee said after consulting them, he sent a team of engineers to the plant and had the water tested in the state-of-the-art PHE laboratory.
The water was found to be safe after examination, he said, adding that people of the area were informed through mobile loudspeakers about the safety of the water and the district administration and police have also been alerted.
Mukherjee said he had information that the rumour was being spread by the CPI(M).
At this, Left Front members were on their feet, demanding that Mukherjee`s statement blaming the CPI(M) be expunged. Describing the statement from the Treasury Bench, in the presence of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, as "irresponsible", Leader of Opposition Surjya Kanta Mishra also demanded that the statement be expunged.
Describing the PHE minister as a seasoned politician, Banerjee said whatever Mukherjee had said in his statement on the issue was on the basis of enquiries.
While the Opposition was free to criticise her as chief minister, they had no right to play with the lives of the people, Banerjee said.
Accusing the Left Front of not taking any initiative in quelling tension in its 35 years of rule, she said during the riots in the city after the Babri Masjid demolition, she had met the then Chief Minister Jyoti Basu appealing to him to take steps in bringing the law and order situation under control.
Banerjee said earlier, in a case of hooch deaths in Kidderpore area here, she had taken the initiative in having the victim`s post-mortems conducted when no minister from the then Left Front government had responded. The chief minister said she had also taken the initiative to move the Howrah district administration in stopping clashes at Uluberia and Chengail areas, although she was not in the government then. An enquiry would be conducted to find out who the rumour-mongers were, she said.
Asserting that it was a crime to spread rumours, Banerjee said this was being done to tarnish the image of her government.
Not convinced, Opposition members trooped to the Well and Mishra was seen displaying the Assembly rule book to the Speaker, who, however, continued with the business of the House and told Mishra that he would take a decision on his demand after examining Mukherjee`s speech.
Later, addressing a press conference jointly with Mukherjee, the chief minister said CPI(M) will be responsible if anything similar happens in future. "Because they are not in power, (the CPI-M) is trying to embarrass the government. We want to move ahead with everyone in a democratic manner. But if anybody takes advantage of our courtesy and indulges in the politics of killing people, it will not be tolerated."
Pointed out that the recent hooch tragedy that killed 173 people and the rumour about poisoned water both took place in South 24-Parganas district, Banerjee said the CPI(M) was responsible as it wanted to "capture the district Zilla Parishad which is now held by the Trinamool Congress".
"They are doing this so that they can capture the Zilla Parishad. They know they cannot do it by democratic means. So, they are doing all this."
Pointing out that Trinamool Congress panachayat members were not being allowed to work in 16 districts where the Zilla Parishads are held by CPI(M), she said, "Most panchayats are defunct. So I have asked the BDOs to ensure that work under NREGA are carried out." Stating that SMSes were sent to a section of the media threatening more such rumours, Banerjee said once the enquiry is conducted, it will become clear that such moves were the result of a conspiracy.
"I am stunned to think that those who kill people for political gains participate in democratic politics," she said adding "only the CPI(M) and our Maoist friends do such things."
Banerjee said when her party Trinamool Congress was in Opposition in the Assembly, the salaries of her party MLAs were deducted because she had come to meet them during the anti-land acquisition movement at Singur.
PTI