Cong attempts to corner Mamata

Former state Congress chief Manas Bhuniya,who is minister for irrigation in Mamata Banerjee’s Cabinet,also lashed out at his own government.

Countering the chief minister’s charge that fertilizer price was hiked by the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre and not by the state government,Bhuniya said: “This is a dangerous campaign against the Central government. Congress party gave all concessions to the Trinamool before the elections as we wanted to evict the CPM from the state. But now after coming to power,the Trinamool Congress is spreading canard against the Central government.”

“On Tuesday,Mamata Banerjee said the UPA government has withdrawn all subsidies. But it is known to everybody that central government is paying a huge subsidy on several sectors,including fertilizers,petroleum products,food and supplies and other social sector schemes.But even then she is accusing the central government of withdrawing all subsidies,” he added.

What has fuelled the growing resentment among the farmers is the complete halt of procurement of paddy at the support price.

As many as 11 farmers have allegedly committed suicide in Burdwan district,considered the rice bowl of Bengal,this season.

The state government had set a target of procuring 20 lakh metric tonnes of paddy this year. But at present,according to official records,the government could not purchase more than 2 lakh metric tonnes. Moreover,the state has 1,018 rice mills in the state of which 350 are closed. The state government this year has even restricted other organisations like Benfed,Confed,FCI and self-help groups to procure paddy.

Mujamel,a paddy farmer of Khandaghosh in Burdwan present in the rally said: “We were told that nine government camps will be set up in the district to procure paddy. But we did not see any camp here in the district. We sell a quintal of paddy at Rs 750 when our production cost is Rs 1,100. Last year,we could not sell our produce and this year we are faced with the same situation. We have a huge debt on out head. So the farmers do not have any option other than committing suicide.”

Congress MP from Raigunj Deepa Dasmunsi,who has been a vocal critic of Mamata Banerjee and had opposed alliance with the Trinamool,accused the state government of not paying the support price for paddy as declared by the central government. “We want to know why the state government is not providing the support price to the farmers which is fixed by the Centre. Why the farmers are being forced to sell their produce at a distress price,Rs 250 to Rs 300 below the support level. Unfortunately,our protest is being questioned and we are being dubbed as the B team of the CPM,” said the Congress MP from Raiganj.

She also questioned the idea of being in alliance with the Trinamool. “What kind of an alliance are we running here? None of our ministers are consulted before crucial decisions are taken by the government. Even Trinamool ministers are also not able to take any independent decision. The new government has done nothing to ensure that farmers get the right prices for paddy and jute. The government was formed with the Congress support but efforts are on to make it a non-entity in the state,” she added.

Dasmunsi,who had earlier protested against the state government’s decision to shift the project of setting up an AIIMS like hospital from her constituency Raigunj to Kalyani,said: “It is the same Indira Bhavan politics. Land ahs already been allotted for setting up Nazrul Bhawan near CIT road. They can easily set up the Nazrul academy there. We will help them with funds to build the academy. But they want to Indira Gandhi’s name to be deleted from the state,” she added.