West Bengal Assembly Election

Trinamul pushes out CPI-M in Cooch Behar

At last, the Trinamul Congress came up as an advanced force in Cooch Behar district. In nine Assembly seats the Trinamul Congress bagged four seats and the Congress one while the Forward Bloc got four seats.

The CPI-M failed to retain its seats. Among the party's defeated candidates there is state forest minister Mr Ananta Ray who contested from Mathabhanga. As expected, Trinamul Congress candidate Mr Binay Krishna Barman defeated him.

In the Asssembly elections of 2006 the Trinamul Congress got only one seat at Dinhata and the Congress got the Sitai seat. The left Front retained seven seats except the two. This time the situation turned worse for the leftists. Following the wind of change the Trinamul Congress gained four seats, the Congress retained its Sitai seat and the Forward bloc regained its Dinhata seat that it lost in 2006.

Cooch Behar MP (Rajya Sabha) and district secretariat member of the CPI-M Mr Tarini Ray admitted that the outcome is very poor in the district and in the state too. At the same time he also admitted that their result is poorer than the Forward Bloc's. The party will review the situation to study the main reasons behind, Mr Ray added.

State food and supply minister and also a senior Forward Bloc leader Mr Paresh Adhikary retained his Mekhliganj seat. In his opinion the outcome is the result of the 'wind of change'. Common people reacted sharply against the rude and impolite behaviour of many senior leaders of the LF, he believes.

District Trinamul Congress president Mr Rabindra Nath Ghosh attributed the achievement as the victory of grass-root level people led by Ms Mamata Banerjee against the CPI-M's tyrannical rule of 34 years.

A senior leader of Cooch Behar district Congress and also the chairman of Cooch Behar Municipality Mr Biren Kundu said after so many years anti-leftists came to power in the state. The Congress-Trinamul Congress alliance got five seats out of nine in this district. The Congress retained its Sitai seat. It is indeed a success against the anti-people Left Front, he said.

As the wind of change made the Trinamul Congress happy, it also appeared as blessing to the Forward Bloc candidate Mr Udayan Guha as he regained the FB's seat at Dinhata.

The winners of the Trinamul Congress are : Mr Rabindra Nath Ghosh (Natabari), Mr Binay Krishna Barman (Mathabhanga), Mr Hiten Barman (Sitalkuchi) and Mr Arghya Ray Pradhan (Tufanganj). The winner of the Congress is Mr Keshab ray (Sitai). The Forward Bloc's winners are : Mr Paresh Adhikary, Mr Udayan Guha, Mr Akshoy Thakur and Mr Nagendra Nath Barman. 

West Bengal Assembly Election

Leaders anxious in Cooch Behar

The leaders of all the major political parties are passing through anxiety as count down has started prior to the counting of polled votes. But, when they face media persons they pose as nothing happened and their candidates are to win tremendously.

District Trinamul Congress president Mr Rabindra Nath Ghosh, district CPI-M secretary Mr Chandi Pal, district Forward Bloc secretary Mr Udayan Guha and district Congress president Mr Shyamal Chaudhury – all are hopeful of victory of their candidates.

Among the nine Assembly segments the eye catchers are Dinhata, Mathabhanga, Natabari and Mekhliganj.  

At Dinhata Dr Fazle Haque of the Congress is contesting as an independent candidate against Mr Udayan Guha of the Forward Bloc. Dr Haque is the outgoing MLA from Sitai. He turned rebel when the Congress turned down his appeal to make him a candidate at Dinhata. At Dinhata, the Trinamul Congress expelled its outgoing MLA Mr Ashok Mandal and gifted the seat to its ally, the Nationalist Congress Party. That party too got divided over selection of candidate and a section joined hands with Dr Haque to teach a lesson to the NCP leadership. A section of Trinamul Congress and the Congress too came out to support the rebel Congress candidate.

At Natabari, Mr Rabindra Nath Ghosh is contesting against the outgoing MLA of the CPI-M, Mr Tamser Ali. Both are hopeful about victory. This is the fourth time Mr Ghosh is contesting and it is Mr Ali's third time. Mr Ali is anxious because in the 2009 Lok Sabha election the Trinamul Congress candidate pulled many votes from this segment.

At Mathabhanga, state forest minister Mr Ananta Ray is contesting for the second time and his main opponent is Mr Binay Krishna Barman of the Trinamul Congress. Mr Barman is enjoying support of all lobbies of his party. The main allegation against the outgoing MLA Mr Ray is he seldom visited and paid attention to this constituency after winning from here.

A rebel Trinamul Congress leader Mr Sunil Ray is contesting at Mekhliganj ignoring the official alliance sponsored Congress candidate Mr Jayanta Ray. Mr Sunil Ray is enjoying support from a large number of Trinamul Congress and Congress supporters and expects victory against state food and supply minister Mr Paresh Adhikary. 

TOBACCO FARMERS' DEMAND

Demand to buy tobacco with supportive price

The tobacco growers of different areas of Cooch Behar district came out with a demand to buy their produce with proper and supportive price. They started believing that a section of unscrupulous tobacco merchants have pulling down the price of tobacco for profiteering.

It may be recalled here that some aggrieved tobacco growers had set fire to their produces that they brought for sell at the Giridhari market of Sitai block in Dinhata on last Friday. The matter drew attention of different quarters in the district.

A spokesman of the Sara Bharat Krishak O Kshetmazur Sangathan said the anger of the farmers is natural as the price of tobacco came down abnormally. He demanded the state government to buy the tobacco from the growers at a proper and supportive price. They are also getting ready to organise a movement to protect the interest of the farmers, he said.

It was learnt that the Cooch Behar district agriculture officer Mr Arun Ray recently visited different areas of Dinhata and Sitai to study the situation. He smelled a dishonest plan hatched by a section of tobacco merchants in bringing down the price of the crop. On the otherhand, a tobacco merchant explained that they had to suffer a huge loss during selling off the tobacco they bought last year. This year the demand for tobacco is thin at factories in Kolkata, Orissa and Uttar Pradesh, he added. An aged tobacco grower of Sitai said it costs about Rs 8,000 to cultivate tobacco at a one-bigha land. The yield is not as much by which one can get some profit. It is hard to earn anything by selling tobacco at a price ranging from Rs 600 to Rs 1,100 he clarified.      

Tobacco is one of the main cash crops of Cooch Behar district. It is cultivated mainly at areas in Dinhata, Sitai, Mekhliganj and Mathabhanga. This year, low price of it at markets turned the growers aggrieved. 

GREATER COOCHBEHAR

GCPA plan for indefinite hunger strike

The Greater Cooch Behar People's Association (GCPA) may go for an indefinite hunger strike in Cooch Behar once again. The plan is now under consideration of the GCPA leadership. It may be recalled here that violence occurred in connection with the GCPA's fast-unto-death programme three police personnel and two GCPA supporters had to die a few years ago in Cooch Behar.

Prior to the recent state Assembly elections in Cooch Behar, the GCPA came out against the election process and campaigned against it. During their agitation they organised demonstrations, submitted memorandums to the district magistrate and the superintendent of police. They circulated posters at different places in the district and the police had to nab many of them for their activity. They organised their 'no vote' movement at places like Dinhata, Tufanganj, Cooch Behar Sadar and Natabari. But, the election has passed over peacefully ignoring their 'no vote' call.

It is learnt from GCPA sources that they may start a fresh movement after publication of poll results. A spokesperson of the GCPA says that it is illegal and unconstitutional to hold Assembly election of West Bengal in Cooch Behar that was a princely state before its merger with India. According to the agreement by which Cooch Behar was merged with India it was to be treated as a 'C category' state but ignoring the agreement it was merged with West Bengal and was converted as a mere district. The people of Cooch Behar never accepted it and so they will start a fresh movement to get the agreement implemented properly, the GCPA spokesperson said. As a part of their proposed movement they may start indefinite hunger strike, she added. 

INDO-BANGLA BORDER

Teenagers being used for border crimes

Teenagers are being used for smuggling along Indo-Bangladesh border in Cooch Behar district. They are being used to do the crime by damaging the barbed wire fencing. Such complaints are pouring in from the border areas in Mekhliganj sub-division and elsewhere. The Border Security Force officials are also concerned over the development. They already ordered beefing up of vigil along the border to curb the menace.

It is learnt that cattle trafficking and smuggling of essential commodities are being committed for a long at border areas like Kuchlibari, Changrabandha, Bhotbari and Nijtaraf in Mekhliganj sub-division. In a bid to control the criminal activities the authorities installed barbed wire fencing along the International border at different places. At the first phase it bore fruitful result.

But, as an alternative the smugglers started using teenagers to damage the fencing to pave the way of smooth smuggling. The teenagers are being used as they can run away quickly when BSF jawans on duty chase them. This is one of the reasons for recruiting of the rural teenagers for 'border trade'. The smugglers also press them into jobs like damaging of the fencing. The smuggling is going on along the way where the fencing is damaged.

The novel modus operandi was unearthed after detention of a number of persons including teenagers. Following the unique finding, senior BSF officials alerted the jawans and officials engaged at border outposts (BOPs) to keep strict vigil along the border to control smuggling and other criminal activities. 

WEST BENGAL ASSEMBLY ELECTION

Bid to keep peace after vote counting

The leaders of all political parties want to maintain peace after counting of votes and releasing of poll result. They already conveyed their activists and supporters to avoid any untoward incident to keep the situation peaceful. Cooch Behar Sadar SDO Ms Rumela Dey has also conducted an all-party meeting to maintain peace.

On 13 May the fate of 62 candidates of nine Assembly segments of Cooch Behar district will be decided. The counting of polled votes will be held at different centres. Counting of Cooch Behar Uttar and Cooch Behar Dakshin segments will be held at Cooch Behar Polytechnic. Votes of Mekhliganj will be counted at Mekhliganj High School and counting of Mathabhanga and Sitalkuchi will be held at Mathabhanga High School. Votes of Natabari and Tufanganj segments will be counted at Tufanganj College. Votes of Dinhata and Sitai constituencies will be counted at Dinhata College.

There will be Section 144 CrPC around all the counting centres. Additional police forces will be deployed to maintain peaceful situation.

District Trinamul Congress president Mr Rabindra Nath Ghosh says they want the result to be released in a smoother way and he believes that the administration will do the needful. At the same time he said Trinamul activists were being alerted about wrongdoings of members of the Co-ordination Committee.

A CPI-M leader and state forest minister Mr Ananta Ray said they want peace but the Trinamul activists may turn the situation bad on the counting day.

Vice-president of Cooch Behar district Congress Mr Deepak Neogi said they have instructed their supporters to accept the polling result with sportsmanship.

Forward Bloc leader Mr Debashis Banik also said they alerted their supporters not to follow any provocation.

District BJP general secretary Mr Nikhil Ranjan Dey too expressed his desire to keep the situation peaceful.

On the otherhand, OC (Election) Mr Pijush Goswami said they have taken all precautions and the security system was also beefed up. 

MEKHLIGANJ

Move to beef up security along Bangladesh border at Mekhliganj

There are two Bangladeshi enclaves adjacent to the international border at Mekhliganj in Cooch Behar. These are Dahagram and Angarpota. These two enclaves have connection with the mainland of Bangladesh. The district administration of Cooch Behar has taken initiative to boost up security facilities near the enclaves to thwart activities of smugglers, cattle lifters and other criminals. As a part of the move 24 watch points of Border Security Force are coming up.

The plan behind setting up of the watch points is to help the BSF jawans to keep watch on the border. It was learnt that Rs 50-lakh has been allocated to construct 24 watch points at gram panchayat areas like Kuchlibari and Bagdogra Fulkadabri under Mekhliganj block. Work was initiated to set up eleven of the proposed watch points but the rest have delayed due to different problems. At one stage the Bangladesh authorities reportedly expressed their objection over construction of the watch points. In January of this year a high level meeting was held at Changrabandha border to iron out the problems and the situation turned normal.

It is expected that after completion of construction of the watch points it would be easier for the BSF jawans to keep vigil along the border. Following this, the problem of cattle trafficking, smuggling and illegal infiltration may decrease in the border areas. Though there are eight border outposts (BOP) of the BSF the addition of the watch points may be helpful to the security force to keep constant vigil over the border. Sources said the administration is now trying to complete the construction of the proposed watch points as early as possible. 

DINHATA

Non-political initiative to develop Dinhata

A non-political organisation came out for all out development of Dinhata sub-division of Cooch Behar district.

In a recent meeting held at Nripendra Narayan Memorial Library Hall, the Dinhata Unnayan Nagarik Mancha adopted a decision to organise popular movements in the greater interest of long-felt development of Dinhata. Eminent citizens like Mr Chandan Sengupta, Mr Sunil Das, Mr Shyamal Chaudhury, Mr Bhabani Sankar Agarwal and Mr Narayan Sarkar attended the meeting.

DUNM sources said they would mobilise public opinion towards setting up of a blood bank, a new college, reopening of the abandoned International Check Post (ICP) at Gitaldaha, construction of a road-bridge over Singimari river and revival of the railway facility to connect Cooch Behar with Kolkata through Bangladesh.

The convenor of the DUNM, Mr Jaygopal Bhaumik alleged that there was no full-fledged blood bank at Dinhata and so the relatives of serious patients have to rush to Cooch Behar crossing a distance of about 26-kilometre to collect blood. Many times they have to suffer due to presence of racket of middlemen. A few years back a blood storage centre was introduced at Dinhata sub-divisional hospital but that is now almost a non-functional one, he alleged. He demanded revival of that blood storage centre and establishment of a full-fledged blood bank at Dinhata.

In the meeting the speakers emphasised on getting back the abandoned ICP at Gitaldaha to ease journey between India and Bangladesh. They also spoke on the long felt need to make a road bridge over Singimari to connect Dinhata with Sitai. Reintroduction of the railway facility between Cooch Behar and Kolkata via Gitalgaha through Bangladesh was also got adequate importance in the discussion as they felt the railway facility would be effective to reduce the time of journey and it would be beneficial to improve trade and commerce scenario in the region. An additional college and a polytechnic are also needed for the students of this large sub-division, they observed. 

MATHABHANGA

Stadium yet incomplete at Mathabhanga

Ten years have passed but the proposed full-fledged stadium is yet to be completed at Mathabhanga in Cooch Behar. Following demands from different quarters of sports lovers the then MP (Lok Sabha) Mr Amar Ray Pradhan had sanctioned a sum of Rs 20-lakh in 2001 to initiate the construction of the stadium. According to the plan the proposed Netaji Krirangan was to accommodate 7,000 seats. Mr Ray Pradhan had sanctioned an additional fund of Rs 42-lakh in two instalments from his MP-LAD fund after allotment of the first instalment.

During the past ten years seating arrangements for about 3,000 viewers has been made including boundary fencing. As per the ambitious Rs 1-crore project seating arrangements for another 4,000 viewers is to come up there. According to the plan an ultra-modern gymnasium for sportsmen to be build up beneath the gallery. Offices of the Sub-divisional Sports Association, Sub-divisional School Sports Association are also to be added there. But, it is not yet clear who to fund the required money to complete the stadium.

Mathabhanga SSA sources said they spent the first instalment of the MP-LAD fund. In 2004 they received Rs 20-lakh as the second instalment and that was handed over to the public works department. Later, in 2009-2010 fiscal year that fund was transferred to the Mathabhanga Municipality to erect the gallery but it has been left incomplete.

Recently, the civic body called a tender for Rs 17-lakh. It is decided that a gallery with about 3,000 seats would be made on the east side of the stadium. The rest of the work would be completed after arranging the required fund. Locals have started to believe that the much awaited stadium would stand as a distant dream as no one knows from where the fund to come. 

STORM! STORM!!

Maize and paddy cultivation affected due to storms

Thirty-four Gram Panchayat areas have been affected in the Kalbaishakhi and seasonal storms that occurred several times on and from 18 April in Cooch Behar district. The affected GPs are spread in six blocks like Dinhata-I, Dinhata-II, Mathabhanga-I, Sitai, Tufanganj-I and Tufanganj-II. Dinhata-I and Siati are the two most affected blocks that faced the severity of hailstorms.

According to an official estimate 1,51,680 people have been affected in the storms. 194 cattle-lives have been lost. The loss of cattle has been estimated to Rs 9-lakh. Crops spread in 10,365-hecter land have been damaged and its value is worth Rs 10.35-crore. 7,810 houses have been fully damaged and the loss is about 7.81-crore. The estimated loss of 7,500 partially damaged houses is worth Rs 1.88-crore.

Sabhadhipati of Cooch Behar Zilla Parishad Mr Dilip Biswas said they sought to the state government 25,000 tarpaulin sheets, 100-MT special GR and cash of Rs 5-lakh as cash GR for disbursement among the storm affected people as relief. He claimed that already they started distribution of relief materials at different storm-lashed areas in the district through the concerned BDO offices.

Referring the damage of crops Mr Biswas said the farmers faced a huge loss as cultivation of maize and Boro paddy have been largely affected due to the hailstorm that occurred several times since 18 April.