Journalism of Courage
The Rajya Sabha members of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) have been called in for a meeting by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday to decide the partys stand on crucial issues during the winter session of Parliament beginning Thursday.
The UPA government is likely to table a Bill related to the Land Boundary Agreement (LBA) with Bangladesh in Rajya Sabha,so that it stays alive in the new Parliament after the general elections.
The TMC is likely to oppose the LBA,which envisages exchange of 161 enclaves adversely held by India and Bangladesh in each others territories and alterations of boundaries between the two countries in some places.
The party claims that the exchange of enclaves,most of which are located in Cooch,Behar and Jalpaiguri districts of West Bengal,will lead to state losing nearly 10,000 acres of land to Bangladesh.
The other cause for worry for cash-strapped West Bengal,is the financial burden it would have to face if a large number of people switch over to the Indian side during the actual handover.
However,the UPA governments Parliament floor managers are hoping to convince Banerjee and other opponents to not block a consensus on the Bills introduction in Parliament. They want to hammer the point that the Bill is being tabled just to keep the issue alive for the next session and does not mean actual implementation of the international accord.
