Trinamul roadblock against forcible cremation issue

 

COOCH BEHAR, July 5: The political mercury is rising high in Cooch Behar district over the allegation of forcible cremation of a 15-year-girl. Trinamul Congress supporters staged roadblock at different places in this district today condemning the 'forcible cremation' and demanding arrest of the CPI-M men involved in the crime. CPI-M too organised a rally against "Trinamul's mischievous designs" at Gosairhat today.

 

Vice-president of District Trinamul Congress Mr Niranjan Dutta alleged that armed CPI-M supporters attacked their supporters at Dawaguri and Dhalpal. At Dawaguri they staged the roadblock on National Highway-31. Here the CPI-M men attacked them injuring many including district secretary Tapan Karjee, Mr Dutta alleged. The party office was also ransacked. Four of the injured were sent to MHN Hospital. At Dhalpal in Tufanganj too the CPI-M men attacked the Trinamul agitators. The injured were sent to Tufanganj sub-divisional hospital, Mr Dutta said.

 

District Trinamul Congress president Mr Rabindra Nath Ghosh said the roadblock programme was held at thirty places including Kachhari Morh, Maruganj, Chilakhana, Baneswar, Ghumari, Dewanhat, Pundibari, Dakghara, Mathabhanga, Changrabandha, Panisala, Dinmhata and Nishiganj in the district. They will gherao the office of Cooch Behar SP on 16 July over the same issue, Mr Ghosh declared.

 

On the otherhand, Sitai-Sitalkuchi zonal committee of the CPI-M organised a mass gathering at Gosairhat in Mathabhanga sub-division this afternoon. During their address the party's district secretary Mr Chandi Pal, zonal unit secretary Mr Amal Jha and other leaders came down heavily on the Trinamul Congress for making the natural death of a sick girl into a political issue.

 

Criticising the police Mr Chandi Pal said that it was not wise for police starting a case of murder against seven CPI-M men without inquiring the matter thoroughly. If it was actually necessary the case should have to be initiated against all the thirty-five men of the village who attended the cremation ceremony, he said. Terming the allegation of forcible cremation as baseless and politically motivated Mr Amal Jha claimed that among the seven accused five are maternal uncles of the girl – Madhabi Barman. []

 

Forward Bloc protests eviction drive

 

COOCH BEHAR, July 5: Alleging harassment of a Forward Bloc councillor during the eviction drive the agitated supporters of the party staged a roadblock at Gunjabari in Cooch Behar town today.

 

FB sources said the councillor of Ward No. 1 of Cooch Behar Municipality Ms Chandana Mohanta protested indiscriminate eviction and demolition drive in her ward this morning. She asked the chairman of the civic body Mr Biren Kundu to stop demolition of residences. The chairman reportedly told her to talk with the officials of the administration. But the drive was continued ignoring her protests. Following hot altercations between the councillor and the officials, the agitated FB supporters staged a roadblock at Gunjabari. Movement of vehicular traffic was disrupted due to the agitation for a long.

 

The Congress-run Cooch Behar Municipality started its second phase of drive against illegal encroachment and unauthorised construction in the town yesterday. The drive is going on in association with district administration.

 

Meanwhile, SUCI affiliated Sangrami Hawkers' Union (SHU) came out to protest the eviction drive. President of Cooch Behar district unit of SHU Mr Punya Chandra Mandal alleged that the CPI-M and Congress are ridiculing the poor hawkers by naming the eviction drive as 'Operation Good Morning'. These vote mongering parties had approved the eviction plan about a month ago. Now they are staging mock movements to maintain their vote bank, he alleged. Mr Mandal demanded that the hawkers should be allowed to carry on their business on the footpaths as before. []