1 Apr 2009, 0100 hrs IST, Subhro Maitra, TNNMALDA: In the rustic, dusty backdrop of the tribal belts of Dhumpur, Ashrampara and Rishipur, she wafts in like a breeze. Mausam Noor, the
maternal niece of ABA Ghani Khan Chowdhury, is stepping into the sun to carry forward Barkat Da's legacy. "Oi dakh, oi meyeta, oitai Barkater Bhanji (Look, that girl is Barkat da's niece)," Shila Mudi whispered to her daughter
in the CPM stronghold. Mini Hembram tried to crane over the heads and shoulders of the men around to take a look at Mausam. Hundreds line the village lanes. Her glamour may have attracted the curious crowd, but she seems to know which chords to touch. "I lost my father in childhood, a year back I lost my mother as well. I miss the shade of Baromama (Ghani Khan) over my head. Now you're my parents. You're to look after me." Buoyed by the final approval of her candidature, 28-year-old Mausam is going all out on the campaign trail. A hug for a woman here, a pat on a child's
head there, she plays to the gallery. She had visited Gajole, Ratua and Araidanga in the last three days, but Tuesday's campaign was certainly different. The confusion regarding her nomination and the opposition by Ghani's estranged brother Naser over, Noor was visibly upbeat. In spite of the searing heat, she refused the car and walked through the rough roads. In Babupur, she picked up the two-year-old baby of Jahnara Biwi. A cheer went up. Schooling from La Marts, LLB under her belt, registered in Calcutta High Court, a regular at Supreme Court, Mausam is perhaps more comfortable with English rather than rustic Bengali, but she is desperate to be declassed'. "Don't you find my mom (Rubi Noor) in me?" she asked, as she had lunch in a shabby hut. "Mummy always wished me to join politics, to serve the people here," said Mausam. "I pursued law with this intent alone." However, her dream to go to the UK for higher studies had to be postponed due to the sudden demise of Rubi Noor six months back. It was Rubi Noor's wish and more importantly the backing of the Kotwali faction of Malda that led her to contest the by-election. And what about leaving Sujapur within two months of winning as MLA? Mausam deflected the question with a seasoned answer: "The people of Sujapur will be happy to see their daughter as MP in Delhi. Soniaji has bestowed on me this duty and I'm going to perform." And how did she fare with the electorate? Going by the reactions of Jahangir Sk or Akhtari Bewa, Mausam has won the first battle. Reactions ranged from "Ki pharsa! Ami haat chhuyechi!" (How fair! I'm lucky to touch her hand) to "Aha re meyetar pichane kato legeche sabai! (Pity, people are attacking her)." Perhaps this is the sentiment which is sensed by the Congressmen as well. If Samit Chatterjee and Sabitri Mitra were with Mausam from the beginning, now leaders like Asif Meheboob and Mustaque Alam, too, have joined the bandwagon.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Monday, March 30, 2009
Naser supporters make going tough for Mousam
DANCE Of DEMOCRACY
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Malda/Kolkata: The family feud over the Congress candidate for Malda North seems to be snowballing into a major confrontation. Agitating supporters of Abu Naser Khan Choudhury on Monday threatened to run amok if their man didn’t get the ticket. The Congress high command has already announced the name of Naser’s niece Mousam Noor as the candidate. State Congress president Pranab Mukherjee refused to comment on the dispute, saying that Sonia Gandhi would take a final call on it. “AICC has finalised the candidature of Mausam Benazir Noor. Any change can be made by only Sonia Gandhi,” he said. Naser Khan is in Delhi to grab the Malda North ticket. In the morning, Naser’s supporters thronged the Kotwali residence of the Khan family. “We want Lebuda, or else we’ll stop Mousam from campaigning,” shouted Hannan Ali, Tiya, Meser Ali, Mohtab and other North Malda Congress leaders. Naser’s brother and Malda South candidate Abu Hasem Khan was present too. He, too, favours his brother over his niece. “Mousam has won the Assembly bypolls from Sujapur only two months ago. It won’t go down well with the voters if she now leaves Sujapur for the parliament seat. Her nomination will affect the party’s prospects in South Malda too,” the district Congress president held. Scared with the unruly crowd coming inside Kotwali, Mousam got in touch with her supporters and the police. The crowd dispersed only after police reached the spot. What may have fuelled the demonstration was a comment by Pranab Mukherjee on Sunday. He said in Murshidabad that he would talk to Hasem Khan in a day or two before finalizing the Malda North candidate. Raiganj candidate Deepa Das Munshi, too, is not in favour of Mousam. “I asked her not to fight the LS polls. Rather she should serve the people of Sujapur. We wanted Sabitri Mitra for this seat. This family squabble might cost us the seat,” she said. Mousam campaigned in Chanchal, Gajole and Ratua on Monday. Pranab, Mamata discuss alliance Kolkata: Pranab Mukherjee on Monday evening had a discussion on the telephone with Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee on the modalities of the Congress-Trinamool alliance. Earlier in the day, Congress and Trinamool leaders attended a Youth Congress meeting in south Kolkata, where PCC working president Pradip Bhattacharya asked voters to ensure Mamata’s victory. He said all Congress leaders were campaigning jointly with Trinamool. TNN
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Malda/Kolkata: The family feud over the Congress candidate for Malda North seems to be snowballing into a major confrontation. Agitating supporters of Abu Naser Khan Choudhury on Monday threatened to run amok if their man didn’t get the ticket. The Congress high command has already announced the name of Naser’s niece Mousam Noor as the candidate. State Congress president Pranab Mukherjee refused to comment on the dispute, saying that Sonia Gandhi would take a final call on it. “AICC has finalised the candidature of Mausam Benazir Noor. Any change can be made by only Sonia Gandhi,” he said. Naser Khan is in Delhi to grab the Malda North ticket. In the morning, Naser’s supporters thronged the Kotwali residence of the Khan family. “We want Lebuda, or else we’ll stop Mousam from campaigning,” shouted Hannan Ali, Tiya, Meser Ali, Mohtab and other North Malda Congress leaders. Naser’s brother and Malda South candidate Abu Hasem Khan was present too. He, too, favours his brother over his niece. “Mousam has won the Assembly bypolls from Sujapur only two months ago. It won’t go down well with the voters if she now leaves Sujapur for the parliament seat. Her nomination will affect the party’s prospects in South Malda too,” the district Congress president held. Scared with the unruly crowd coming inside Kotwali, Mousam got in touch with her supporters and the police. The crowd dispersed only after police reached the spot. What may have fuelled the demonstration was a comment by Pranab Mukherjee on Sunday. He said in Murshidabad that he would talk to Hasem Khan in a day or two before finalizing the Malda North candidate. Raiganj candidate Deepa Das Munshi, too, is not in favour of Mousam. “I asked her not to fight the LS polls. Rather she should serve the people of Sujapur. We wanted Sabitri Mitra for this seat. This family squabble might cost us the seat,” she said. Mousam campaigned in Chanchal, Gajole and Ratua on Monday. Pranab, Mamata discuss alliance Kolkata: Pranab Mukherjee on Monday evening had a discussion on the telephone with Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee on the modalities of the Congress-Trinamool alliance. Earlier in the day, Congress and Trinamool leaders attended a Youth Congress meeting in south Kolkata, where PCC working president Pradip Bhattacharya asked voters to ensure Mamata’s victory. He said all Congress leaders were campaigning jointly with Trinamool. TNN
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Pranab’s footwork on home turf
Warming To Election Summer, Pranab Plays Ball & Deepa Das Munshi Reaches Out To ‘In-Laws’ For Support
Devjyot Ghoshal, Udit Prasanna Mukherji & Subhro Maitra TNN
Jangipur/Kolkata: “Oi dekho Pranab babur gari aschhe (Hey, look Pranab babu’s car is coming),” cried little Osman. No, it was not the usual white Ambassador. Instead, a van sporting Pranab Mukherjee’s cutout whizzed past the dusty village road. Osman and his friends in this part of Raghunathganj are not bothered about the office Mukherjee holds. To them, he is an indulgent elderly person, the father figure of ‘gramin football’ in this area. Pranab Mukherjee has been doing this groundwork for the past year. His campaign has several layers, not just the one we are used to — road shows, slogan-shouting, fiery speeches loaded with jargon like sovereignty, recession, public distribution, inclusive development, that often sound like Hebrew to the young. If election is the art of communication, the gramin football project is a hit in the villages. But how could Mukherjee manage the time to organize such tournaments after addressing the Lok Sabha as a stand-in for finance minister, preparing political drafts for the AICC or meeting foreign delegates as external affairs minister? “He didn’t do it on his own. He conceived the idea and engaged an advertising agency to do the work for him,” said Mukherjee’s confidential assistant Pradyot Guha. The order came to Soubhagya Enterprises that engaged its sport wing, ALLSPORT, to introduce gramin tournaments in the memory of Kamadakinkar Mukherjee, Pranab’s father. “That was a year ago. Our men have been reaching out to village clubs and youths since then, organizing football, cricket and chess tournaments. Pranab babu clearly told us to do something on these lines because the youth here didn’t have scope to develop their skills,” said ALLSPORT director Srenik Sett. “We brought in footballers such as Gautam Sarkar and Sudhir Karmakar and chess wizard Dibyendu Barua to train the youth. Slowly, the camps became known as Pranab Mukherjee’s coaching camp. It is all about image building.” Pranab babu did not leave it entirely to the media agency, though. After each tournament, he took time out to hand over trophies to winners. Now, it seems to be paying. There is another set of dedicated professionals working on the campaign materials at Soubhagya’s office in Kolkata. They are not the usual stuff. Take, for instance, Soubhagya’s brochure on Pranab Mukherjee. The front page has the usual photograph with a jingle: ‘Kajer manush, kachher manush’ (A man who works and is close to people), which is central to all campaign materials. And the back cover has a 2009 calendar, with a list of holidays. “The idea is to establish a connect with the voter, give him something in the brochure that comes of use to him. We are also inserting a fourpage telephone index as part of the brochure. At least 10 out of 100 people will keep the brochure for a fortnight,” the director of the advertising agency said. The subtle style reminds one of another Congress-turned Trinamool Congress leader, Ajit Panja, who was a master in this art. What is there in Mukherjee’s brochure? A brief self-introduction and his 10 big contributions for the Jangipur constituency. “When Pranab babu was defence minister, he set up an army recruitment centre in Murshidabad. A passport office has been opened during his tenure as external affairs minister. A major chunk of his MPLAD funds has been spent on building the upcoming Sagardighi College,” said Guha. The only Congress person who figures in Mukherjee’s campaign other than Congress president Sonia Gandhi is strongman Adhir Choudhury. Mukherjee is trying his level best to come out of Adhir’s shadow, but is not in a position to do so without him, a Congress leader said.
Devjyot Ghoshal, Udit Prasanna Mukherji & Subhro Maitra TNN
Jangipur/Kolkata: “Oi dekho Pranab babur gari aschhe (Hey, look Pranab babu’s car is coming),” cried little Osman. No, it was not the usual white Ambassador. Instead, a van sporting Pranab Mukherjee’s cutout whizzed past the dusty village road. Osman and his friends in this part of Raghunathganj are not bothered about the office Mukherjee holds. To them, he is an indulgent elderly person, the father figure of ‘gramin football’ in this area. Pranab Mukherjee has been doing this groundwork for the past year. His campaign has several layers, not just the one we are used to — road shows, slogan-shouting, fiery speeches loaded with jargon like sovereignty, recession, public distribution, inclusive development, that often sound like Hebrew to the young. If election is the art of communication, the gramin football project is a hit in the villages. But how could Mukherjee manage the time to organize such tournaments after addressing the Lok Sabha as a stand-in for finance minister, preparing political drafts for the AICC or meeting foreign delegates as external affairs minister? “He didn’t do it on his own. He conceived the idea and engaged an advertising agency to do the work for him,” said Mukherjee’s confidential assistant Pradyot Guha. The order came to Soubhagya Enterprises that engaged its sport wing, ALLSPORT, to introduce gramin tournaments in the memory of Kamadakinkar Mukherjee, Pranab’s father. “That was a year ago. Our men have been reaching out to village clubs and youths since then, organizing football, cricket and chess tournaments. Pranab babu clearly told us to do something on these lines because the youth here didn’t have scope to develop their skills,” said ALLSPORT director Srenik Sett. “We brought in footballers such as Gautam Sarkar and Sudhir Karmakar and chess wizard Dibyendu Barua to train the youth. Slowly, the camps became known as Pranab Mukherjee’s coaching camp. It is all about image building.” Pranab babu did not leave it entirely to the media agency, though. After each tournament, he took time out to hand over trophies to winners. Now, it seems to be paying. There is another set of dedicated professionals working on the campaign materials at Soubhagya’s office in Kolkata. They are not the usual stuff. Take, for instance, Soubhagya’s brochure on Pranab Mukherjee. The front page has the usual photograph with a jingle: ‘Kajer manush, kachher manush’ (A man who works and is close to people), which is central to all campaign materials. And the back cover has a 2009 calendar, with a list of holidays. “The idea is to establish a connect with the voter, give him something in the brochure that comes of use to him. We are also inserting a fourpage telephone index as part of the brochure. At least 10 out of 100 people will keep the brochure for a fortnight,” the director of the advertising agency said. The subtle style reminds one of another Congress-turned Trinamool Congress leader, Ajit Panja, who was a master in this art. What is there in Mukherjee’s brochure? A brief self-introduction and his 10 big contributions for the Jangipur constituency. “When Pranab babu was defence minister, he set up an army recruitment centre in Murshidabad. A passport office has been opened during his tenure as external affairs minister. A major chunk of his MPLAD funds has been spent on building the upcoming Sagardighi College,” said Guha. The only Congress person who figures in Mukherjee’s campaign other than Congress president Sonia Gandhi is strongman Adhir Choudhury. Mukherjee is trying his level best to come out of Adhir’s shadow, but is not in a position to do so without him, a Congress leader said.
Shashurbari will swing it for me, says Deepa
Subhro Maitra TNN
Malda: Shashurbari Zindabad! If Deepa Das Munshi returns smiling — and victorious — from the heat and dust of an election summer in Raiganj, she’ll surely have those words on her lips. For, as Priya Ranjan Das Munshi’s wife makes the leap from state politics — she is an MLA from Goalpokhar — to the national arena in the 15th Lok Sabha poll, she’ll sincerely be hoping her ‘in-laws’ swing it in her favour. For one, this is the first time Kaliaganj, where Priya has his ancestral home, has been included in the Raiganj constituency. Kaliaganj was in Balurghat before delimitation. Secondly, traditional Congress strongholds of Ratua, Harishchandarpur and Kharba have gone out of Raiganj, again thanks to delimitation. Deepa will need all the support from new bases like Kaliaganj to win from Raiganj, which has returned Priya twice to Parliament. “I’m banking on my shashurbari,” quipped Deepa while speaking to TOI on her way to Chakulia. She’s not worried, as she has managed the Congress tightrope well so far — looking after her own constituency as well as her ailing husband’s and sorting out feuds within the party. Neither Priya nor Deepa had to bother about Kaliaganj so far. “Being in Balurghat, it did not get the attention it deserved. Naturally, people there have grievances,” said Deepa. Her confidence stems from the fact that in the last rural election, Congress won the Kaliaganj panchayat samiti. Political calculations apart, Deepa is also banking on her own charisma and the sympathy wave for the ailing Priya. Proof: Deepa turned up one-and-a-half hours late — 11.30 am instead of 10 am — for her meeting with artists and cultural personalities at Shila Bhawan in Raiganj on Saturday. But there was not a murmur of anger. “How can we put pressure on her? She has to constantly shuttle between Delhi and Raiganj,” said Sandip, her close aide. She struck the right note every time she spoke of her husband. “Someone who had Raiganj so close to his heart is in hospital, unable to speak. Still, I’m here as politicians have no room for personal sorrow,” she said. After a dusty 70-km drive, Deepa reached Chakulia at 2.30 pm for a meeting with Congress workers. Pabitra Chanda, her Man Friday, narrated how she was initially unwilling to leave her son alone in Delhi and fight the election. “But we told her that thousands of her sons in Raiganj needed her as well,” Chanda said, to loud applause. Aware that the area was minority dominated, Deepa spoke of Priya’s initiatives for the development of minorities. Bolstered by local support, Deepa was not worried about Karim Choudhury, the eighttime Islampur MLA. Choudhury quit Trinamool to launch his new outfit. “I don’t worry about Choudhury. People are with Priyada; no individual can mislead them,” she said. Boudi’s voice was confident.
Malda: Shashurbari Zindabad! If Deepa Das Munshi returns smiling — and victorious — from the heat and dust of an election summer in Raiganj, she’ll surely have those words on her lips. For, as Priya Ranjan Das Munshi’s wife makes the leap from state politics — she is an MLA from Goalpokhar — to the national arena in the 15th Lok Sabha poll, she’ll sincerely be hoping her ‘in-laws’ swing it in her favour. For one, this is the first time Kaliaganj, where Priya has his ancestral home, has been included in the Raiganj constituency. Kaliaganj was in Balurghat before delimitation. Secondly, traditional Congress strongholds of Ratua, Harishchandarpur and Kharba have gone out of Raiganj, again thanks to delimitation. Deepa will need all the support from new bases like Kaliaganj to win from Raiganj, which has returned Priya twice to Parliament. “I’m banking on my shashurbari,” quipped Deepa while speaking to TOI on her way to Chakulia. She’s not worried, as she has managed the Congress tightrope well so far — looking after her own constituency as well as her ailing husband’s and sorting out feuds within the party. Neither Priya nor Deepa had to bother about Kaliaganj so far. “Being in Balurghat, it did not get the attention it deserved. Naturally, people there have grievances,” said Deepa. Her confidence stems from the fact that in the last rural election, Congress won the Kaliaganj panchayat samiti. Political calculations apart, Deepa is also banking on her own charisma and the sympathy wave for the ailing Priya. Proof: Deepa turned up one-and-a-half hours late — 11.30 am instead of 10 am — for her meeting with artists and cultural personalities at Shila Bhawan in Raiganj on Saturday. But there was not a murmur of anger. “How can we put pressure on her? She has to constantly shuttle between Delhi and Raiganj,” said Sandip, her close aide. She struck the right note every time she spoke of her husband. “Someone who had Raiganj so close to his heart is in hospital, unable to speak. Still, I’m here as politicians have no room for personal sorrow,” she said. After a dusty 70-km drive, Deepa reached Chakulia at 2.30 pm for a meeting with Congress workers. Pabitra Chanda, her Man Friday, narrated how she was initially unwilling to leave her son alone in Delhi and fight the election. “But we told her that thousands of her sons in Raiganj needed her as well,” Chanda said, to loud applause. Aware that the area was minority dominated, Deepa spoke of Priya’s initiatives for the development of minorities. Bolstered by local support, Deepa was not worried about Karim Choudhury, the eighttime Islampur MLA. Choudhury quit Trinamool to launch his new outfit. “I don’t worry about Choudhury. People are with Priyada; no individual can mislead them,” she said. Boudi’s voice was confident.
Cong row over Malda North candidate
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Malda: Malda sitting MP and district Congress president Abu Hasem Khan Choudhury on Friday said the Congress candidate in Malda North “is not final yet”. “I have asked workers to campaign for the party, not the candidate,” he said, just 24 hours after AICC declared his niece, Sujapur MLA Mausam Noor, as the candidate for Malda North. Hasem Khan is reportedly upset over Mausam getting the ticket. Two day ago, he had announced his brother, Naser Khan, as the candidate. But AICC did not accept it, apparently due to the lack of some documents regarding Naser’s citizenship. When Mausam’s name was announced on Thursday, Naser sounded aggrieved — he even vowed to fight the election as an Independent candidate. His papers from Switzerland regarding citizenship reached New Delhi on Thursday and Naser went to Delhi on Friday, even as Mausam reached Malda to a cheering welcome from hundreds of supporters. “I hope to get the nomination,” Naser said. Hasem Khan echoed this. Mausam, however, kept quiet regarding the differences with her maternal uncle. “AICC has nominated me and I’ll fight to win,” she said.
Malda: Malda sitting MP and district Congress president Abu Hasem Khan Choudhury on Friday said the Congress candidate in Malda North “is not final yet”. “I have asked workers to campaign for the party, not the candidate,” he said, just 24 hours after AICC declared his niece, Sujapur MLA Mausam Noor, as the candidate for Malda North. Hasem Khan is reportedly upset over Mausam getting the ticket. Two day ago, he had announced his brother, Naser Khan, as the candidate. But AICC did not accept it, apparently due to the lack of some documents regarding Naser’s citizenship. When Mausam’s name was announced on Thursday, Naser sounded aggrieved — he even vowed to fight the election as an Independent candidate. His papers from Switzerland regarding citizenship reached New Delhi on Thursday and Naser went to Delhi on Friday, even as Mausam reached Malda to a cheering welcome from hundreds of supporters. “I hope to get the nomination,” Naser said. Hasem Khan echoed this. Mausam, however, kept quiet regarding the differences with her maternal uncle. “AICC has nominated me and I’ll fight to win,” she said.
Season change: Ticket for Mousam
DANCE Of DEMOCRACY
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Malda: Daluda, Lebuda and Mousam — when it comes to looking for leaders, Malda Congress cannot look beyond Barkatda’s family. This time was supposed to be no different. Abu Hasem Khan Choudhury, or Daluda, was contesting from Malda South, niece Mousam had won the Sujapur Assembly bypoll. So, how could brother Naser Khan, or Lebuda, be left out? But the Congress high command had other plans. Within a day of district Congress president Hasem announcing Naser’s name publicly for the Malda North constituency, party bosses in Delhi made it clear that Mousam Noor would contest from the newly created seat. The fallout was obvious at Kotwali. “I have been stabbed in the back. A section of Congress leaders has ditched me after promising me a ticket. How dare they do that without consulting the district Congress president?” said a fuming Lebuda, who was so desperate that he enrolled himself as a voter from English Bazar despite being a Swiss citizen. Lebuda may have thought nothing could come in his way, given his family background. “The leaders told me I needed to submit the papers from the Swiss government before filing my nomination. Pranab Mukherjee told us not to worry and said it was his headache to get me through. Relying on this assurance, we came back. I have the papers from the Swiss government,” he said. Naser was so upset that he refused to take part in Mousam’s poll campaign. Mousam happens to be his niece and the daughter of sister Ruby Noor. “Why should I seek votes in her favour? Let Mousam garner support from her voters,” said Abu Naser Khan Choudhury. Sensing the mood in her family, Mousam came down to Kolkata to meet Pradesh Congress leaders and discuss ways to sort out the tricky family problem. “AICC has given me the ticket. I will fight the elections following in the footsteps of my uncle, ABA Ghani Khan Choudhury,” Mousam said. “If elected, I’ll focus on youth issues. I had never hoped I would be selected, but as there was a technical problem with my uncle’s nomination, the party chose me.” Daluda is a little upset. “We were told by Pranabda that Lebuda would be the candidate and we believed him. But his candidature may have been denied because of technical problems,” said Daluda. However, his explanation failed to satisfy followers, who even blocked Hasem’s car while he was out campaigning. Kotwali loyalists also took the high command decision as a setback. Only on Wednesday, they had garlanded Lebuda and taken him on a roadshow soon after Daluda announced his candidature. The scene started changing from Wednesday evening when the AICC took exception to Daluda’s announcing his brother’s name without consulting the Delhi bosses. Worse, the requisite papers regarding Naser’s citizenship had not reached AICC. K Keshav Rao, AICC observer for West Bengal Pradesh Congress, reportedly reacted sharply to this.
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Malda: Daluda, Lebuda and Mousam — when it comes to looking for leaders, Malda Congress cannot look beyond Barkatda’s family. This time was supposed to be no different. Abu Hasem Khan Choudhury, or Daluda, was contesting from Malda South, niece Mousam had won the Sujapur Assembly bypoll. So, how could brother Naser Khan, or Lebuda, be left out? But the Congress high command had other plans. Within a day of district Congress president Hasem announcing Naser’s name publicly for the Malda North constituency, party bosses in Delhi made it clear that Mousam Noor would contest from the newly created seat. The fallout was obvious at Kotwali. “I have been stabbed in the back. A section of Congress leaders has ditched me after promising me a ticket. How dare they do that without consulting the district Congress president?” said a fuming Lebuda, who was so desperate that he enrolled himself as a voter from English Bazar despite being a Swiss citizen. Lebuda may have thought nothing could come in his way, given his family background. “The leaders told me I needed to submit the papers from the Swiss government before filing my nomination. Pranab Mukherjee told us not to worry and said it was his headache to get me through. Relying on this assurance, we came back. I have the papers from the Swiss government,” he said. Naser was so upset that he refused to take part in Mousam’s poll campaign. Mousam happens to be his niece and the daughter of sister Ruby Noor. “Why should I seek votes in her favour? Let Mousam garner support from her voters,” said Abu Naser Khan Choudhury. Sensing the mood in her family, Mousam came down to Kolkata to meet Pradesh Congress leaders and discuss ways to sort out the tricky family problem. “AICC has given me the ticket. I will fight the elections following in the footsteps of my uncle, ABA Ghani Khan Choudhury,” Mousam said. “If elected, I’ll focus on youth issues. I had never hoped I would be selected, but as there was a technical problem with my uncle’s nomination, the party chose me.” Daluda is a little upset. “We were told by Pranabda that Lebuda would be the candidate and we believed him. But his candidature may have been denied because of technical problems,” said Daluda. However, his explanation failed to satisfy followers, who even blocked Hasem’s car while he was out campaigning. Kotwali loyalists also took the high command decision as a setback. Only on Wednesday, they had garlanded Lebuda and taken him on a roadshow soon after Daluda announced his candidature. The scene started changing from Wednesday evening when the AICC took exception to Daluda’s announcing his brother’s name without consulting the Delhi bosses. Worse, the requisite papers regarding Naser’s citizenship had not reached AICC. K Keshav Rao, AICC observer for West Bengal Pradesh Congress, reportedly reacted sharply to this.
Brother Who Ditched Ghani Welcomed Back, But Dispute Over Citizenship
MALDA PUZZLE DANCE Of DEMOCRACY
Cong in dynasty dilemma
Subhro Maitra TNN
Malda: Like in Delhi, dynasty rules Congress politics in Malda. Congress icon ABA Ghani Khan Chowdhury may have passed away In 2006, but his shadow looms large over the district, where family ties, friendship and enmity are the brushstrokes that make up the grand political canvas. When Ghani Khan, known as Barkatda to all, ruled Malda politics, the leader’s Kotwali residence was the focus of all the attention. Even after his death, Malda residents stood by Barkatda’s family. Ghani’s younger brother Abu Hasem Khan Chowdhury or Daluda won the Lok Sabha bypoll from Malda on a Congress ticket after Ghani’s death. Ghani’s sister Ruby Noor was an MLA and district Congress president till she died. Ruby’s daughter was elected from Sujapur in the Assembly bypoll recently. All was well till Abu Naser Khan Chowdhury, Ghani’s second brother, came back from Switzerland to join the poll fray. Better known as Lebuda, Naser had left the country to become a Swiss citizen following a tiff with Ghani. The elder brother never forgave Naser, who had run away with Ghani’s wife. So, till Ghani was alive, Naser was persona non grata in Malda politics. Things changed post 2006. Blood ties proved supreme and younger brother Hasem Khan, now an MP, wants the Congress high command to give Naser a ticket from the newly created Malda North constituency. The problem with Naser is he had his name enrolled in the voter’s list under the English Bazaar Assembly constituency (EPIC No. 2994127), despite being a foreign citizen. This led to an enquiry by the Election Commission, prompting Naser to surrender his foreign citizenship. But a clearance from the Swiss government is still awaited. This has left the Congress high command in a quandary. It is still waiting for Abu Naser to get the clearance, giving the Opposition CPM an advantage in the run-up to the polls. The foreign question apart, Ghani loyalists in the Congress are yet to come to terms with Lebuda’s past — the way he “betrayed” Barkatda, who has fierce loyalists in Malda. Erosion victims like Kedar Mandal or migrant labourers like Taslim Sain still remember how Barkatda would visit their villages once a month and ask “Ki khabor toder? (How are you people?)” Old-timers recall how Abu Naser fought the 1996 elections against his elder brother as an Independent with tacit support of the rival CPM. Naser failed badly and kept away from Kotwali since then, only to return after Ghani’s death. “How do we accept a person who ditched Barkatda when elections here are still being fought in his name? Will people vote for him?” said Narendra Nath Tiwari, chairman of English Bazaar Municipality and district Intuc chief. Others gave a piece of their mind to AICC observers who had come over to Malda on two occasions. All of them spoke in favour of Sabitri Mitra, a four-time MLA and Ghani Khan’s close aide till his last. Even a section of the West Bengal Pradesh Congress was in Mitra’s favour. The controversy over Lebuda’s citizenship has thus come in handy for these Congress leaders. The fact is, Abu Naser took Swiss citizenship way back in 1963. The matter came to light after Hasem Khan wrote to the joint secretary (foreigners) in the Union home ministry on December 22, 2008, regarding his brother’s resumption of Indian citizenship under Section 8(2) of the Citizenship Act, 1955. Without this, he wouldn’t be able to fight an election. On January 2, 2009, the joint secretary (foreigners) wrote back, pointing out that under the Citizenship Act, once an Indian citizen renounces Indian nationality, he cannot re-acquire Indian citizenship automatically. He advised Naser to apply for Indian citizenship. The controversy took a new turn after it was found that Naser had enrolled himself as a voter in Malda despite his foreign citizenship. Naser’s niece Mousam Noor on Monday said: “Naser Khan is going to be the candidate. The delay is technical. Things will get sorted out after the papers from Switzerland arrive.” She also hinted that if Naser was not given ticket, she might be the candidate. Supporters of Naser have already begun campaigning for him. Graffiti were seen at a number of places in North Malda in his support. “With barely 40 days left before the polls on April 30, we have not yet got a candidate. Worse, too many rumours are doing the rounds. We don’t know how we’ll manage in such a short time as CPM has already started campaigning,” said Congress MLA Krishnendu Choudhury.
Cong in dynasty dilemma
Subhro Maitra TNN
Malda: Like in Delhi, dynasty rules Congress politics in Malda. Congress icon ABA Ghani Khan Chowdhury may have passed away In 2006, but his shadow looms large over the district, where family ties, friendship and enmity are the brushstrokes that make up the grand political canvas. When Ghani Khan, known as Barkatda to all, ruled Malda politics, the leader’s Kotwali residence was the focus of all the attention. Even after his death, Malda residents stood by Barkatda’s family. Ghani’s younger brother Abu Hasem Khan Chowdhury or Daluda won the Lok Sabha bypoll from Malda on a Congress ticket after Ghani’s death. Ghani’s sister Ruby Noor was an MLA and district Congress president till she died. Ruby’s daughter was elected from Sujapur in the Assembly bypoll recently. All was well till Abu Naser Khan Chowdhury, Ghani’s second brother, came back from Switzerland to join the poll fray. Better known as Lebuda, Naser had left the country to become a Swiss citizen following a tiff with Ghani. The elder brother never forgave Naser, who had run away with Ghani’s wife. So, till Ghani was alive, Naser was persona non grata in Malda politics. Things changed post 2006. Blood ties proved supreme and younger brother Hasem Khan, now an MP, wants the Congress high command to give Naser a ticket from the newly created Malda North constituency. The problem with Naser is he had his name enrolled in the voter’s list under the English Bazaar Assembly constituency (EPIC No. 2994127), despite being a foreign citizen. This led to an enquiry by the Election Commission, prompting Naser to surrender his foreign citizenship. But a clearance from the Swiss government is still awaited. This has left the Congress high command in a quandary. It is still waiting for Abu Naser to get the clearance, giving the Opposition CPM an advantage in the run-up to the polls. The foreign question apart, Ghani loyalists in the Congress are yet to come to terms with Lebuda’s past — the way he “betrayed” Barkatda, who has fierce loyalists in Malda. Erosion victims like Kedar Mandal or migrant labourers like Taslim Sain still remember how Barkatda would visit their villages once a month and ask “Ki khabor toder? (How are you people?)” Old-timers recall how Abu Naser fought the 1996 elections against his elder brother as an Independent with tacit support of the rival CPM. Naser failed badly and kept away from Kotwali since then, only to return after Ghani’s death. “How do we accept a person who ditched Barkatda when elections here are still being fought in his name? Will people vote for him?” said Narendra Nath Tiwari, chairman of English Bazaar Municipality and district Intuc chief. Others gave a piece of their mind to AICC observers who had come over to Malda on two occasions. All of them spoke in favour of Sabitri Mitra, a four-time MLA and Ghani Khan’s close aide till his last. Even a section of the West Bengal Pradesh Congress was in Mitra’s favour. The controversy over Lebuda’s citizenship has thus come in handy for these Congress leaders. The fact is, Abu Naser took Swiss citizenship way back in 1963. The matter came to light after Hasem Khan wrote to the joint secretary (foreigners) in the Union home ministry on December 22, 2008, regarding his brother’s resumption of Indian citizenship under Section 8(2) of the Citizenship Act, 1955. Without this, he wouldn’t be able to fight an election. On January 2, 2009, the joint secretary (foreigners) wrote back, pointing out that under the Citizenship Act, once an Indian citizen renounces Indian nationality, he cannot re-acquire Indian citizenship automatically. He advised Naser to apply for Indian citizenship. The controversy took a new turn after it was found that Naser had enrolled himself as a voter in Malda despite his foreign citizenship. Naser’s niece Mousam Noor on Monday said: “Naser Khan is going to be the candidate. The delay is technical. Things will get sorted out after the papers from Switzerland arrive.” She also hinted that if Naser was not given ticket, she might be the candidate. Supporters of Naser have already begun campaigning for him. Graffiti were seen at a number of places in North Malda in his support. “With barely 40 days left before the polls on April 30, we have not yet got a candidate. Worse, too many rumours are doing the rounds. We don’t know how we’ll manage in such a short time as CPM has already started campaigning,” said Congress MLA Krishnendu Choudhury.
Cong banks on party symbol in Malda North
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Malda: Scared of being left behind in the campaign race, Congressmen in Malda North constituency have started seeking votes on the strength of the party symbol in the absence of a candidate. Some of them are also campaigning for Abu Naser Khan Choudhury, who is rumoured to be the party favourite for the seat. Supporters are hoping that a clear picture will emerge once sitting MP Abu Hasem Khan Choudhury, Naser’s brother, reaches Malda on Wednesday. He is supposed to take out a rally from his Kotwali residence during the day. Hasem is contesting from the Malda South. “He is arriving from Delhi and will probably make an announcement on Malda North,” said Rabiul Islam, Congress office secretary. Sachchidananda Chakraborty, the Chanchal block Congress president, said that party workers and zonal leaders had already started campaigning with the party symbol from Tuesday. Others in the party said that the controversy over Naser’s citizenship had been resolved.
Malda: Scared of being left behind in the campaign race, Congressmen in Malda North constituency have started seeking votes on the strength of the party symbol in the absence of a candidate. Some of them are also campaigning for Abu Naser Khan Choudhury, who is rumoured to be the party favourite for the seat. Supporters are hoping that a clear picture will emerge once sitting MP Abu Hasem Khan Choudhury, Naser’s brother, reaches Malda on Wednesday. He is supposed to take out a rally from his Kotwali residence during the day. Hasem is contesting from the Malda South. “He is arriving from Delhi and will probably make an announcement on Malda North,” said Rabiul Islam, Congress office secretary. Sachchidananda Chakraborty, the Chanchal block Congress president, said that party workers and zonal leaders had already started campaigning with the party symbol from Tuesday. Others in the party said that the controversy over Naser’s citizenship had been resolved.
KPP cries foul after cops pick up candidate
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Malda: Police picked up Kamtapur People’s Party (KPP) candidate for North Malda, Atul Mondal, from his Habibpur home late on Friday, prompting KPP to allege a CPM conspiracy. CPM denied the charge. Police said Mondal had been charged with damaging public property and rioting during a KPP bandh earlier this month. Mandal is a central committee member of KPP. He was produced in Malda court on Saturday, which granted him bail, though he was charged under a non-bailable section. KPP members alleged a “political motive” behind the arrest. “It is a heinous conspiracy by police and CPM,” said Subhash Burman, general secretary of the KPP central committee. “For the past few days, police have unleashed torture on our supporters at Bamangola and Habibpur at the behest of CPM,” he added. Burman vowed to launch a movement against “police atrocity”. “We have written to the DM. But we have not launched a public agitation as HS exams are on,” he said. Jiban Maitra, CPM district secretary, rubbished Burman’s allegation. “I didn’t even know of the incident. Under Indian democracy, anyone can fight an election,” he said. “In the name of the Kamtapur movement, some people are resorting to violence and extortion.” Police, too, denied any political motive behind the arrest. “We didn’t know Mandal was a candidate,” said additional SP Kalyan Mukherjee.
Malda: Police picked up Kamtapur People’s Party (KPP) candidate for North Malda, Atul Mondal, from his Habibpur home late on Friday, prompting KPP to allege a CPM conspiracy. CPM denied the charge. Police said Mondal had been charged with damaging public property and rioting during a KPP bandh earlier this month. Mandal is a central committee member of KPP. He was produced in Malda court on Saturday, which granted him bail, though he was charged under a non-bailable section. KPP members alleged a “political motive” behind the arrest. “It is a heinous conspiracy by police and CPM,” said Subhash Burman, general secretary of the KPP central committee. “For the past few days, police have unleashed torture on our supporters at Bamangola and Habibpur at the behest of CPM,” he added. Burman vowed to launch a movement against “police atrocity”. “We have written to the DM. But we have not launched a public agitation as HS exams are on,” he said. Jiban Maitra, CPM district secretary, rubbished Burman’s allegation. “I didn’t even know of the incident. Under Indian democracy, anyone can fight an election,” he said. “In the name of the Kamtapur movement, some people are resorting to violence and extortion.” Police, too, denied any political motive behind the arrest. “We didn’t know Mandal was a candidate,” said additional SP Kalyan Mukherjee.
Biman smells ‘conspiracy’ in lead-up to polls
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Kolkata/Malda: In a bid to mount pressure on the Election Commission, which is enforcing the election code on parties, CPM state secretary Biman Bose trained his guns on the EC, saying it was playing partisan. He alleged that the commission did not adhere to norms while hearing out political parties. “The commission came down to the city on March 19 to talk to all recognised political parties. While CPM, Forward Bloc and RSP were given 10 minutes each, the EC gave 40 minutes to Trinamool Congress. This is discriminatory,” Bose said. The CPM state secretary, however, did not come clear on whether his party was going to lodge a complaint against the EC. “We are yet to decide on it,” Bose said. The CPM state secretary pointed out how Trinamool was flouting the election code. “I am not going to any public meeting without a copy of the permission granted by police. But the Opposition doesn’t seem to care. I lodged a complaint on the Trinamool meeting in Nandigram. Mamata Banerjee held that meeting without permission,” Bose said. On Saturday, Malda CPM lodged a complaint against Pranab Mukherjee, the Congress candidate from Jangipur. Chief electoral officer Debashis Sen, however, rubbished the CPM charge. “The EC did not play partisan. Political parties were allotted 10 minutes each. But all of them exceeded their time limit,” Sen said, showing the media a copy of the EC letter sent to the Trinamool secretary on March 17, allotting the party a slot between 12 and 12.10 pm. Trinamool, on the other hand, complained to the EC, saying that finance minister Asim Dasgupta made tall promises in his vote-on-account speech, flouting EC norms. In Malda, CPM zonal secretary Dibya Shankar Shukul alleged that Mukherjee flouted the HC ban and the EC directive against use of microphones during examination, with the leader using loudspeakers in villages of Suti block on March 19. Biman saw a sinister design against the Left Front on the lines of the CIA model. “Some senior US consular staff in Kolkata recently held a meeting with Muslim members. There is no harm in holding consultations. US diplomats also come to our party office. But why did they have to go to a hotel? The consular staff could have held the meeting in its office itself. I know that an NGO member went to the US consulate after reaching Kolkata,” he said. Bose pointed to the recent meeting between the CIA chief and Union home minister P Chidambaram over the Indo-US collaboration to substantiate his argument. “A blueprint is under way, it seems, that will not serve the interests of Muslims,” he said. The CPM had thrown similar tantrums over the visit of a US consular staff to Nanoor in Birbhum ahead of the 2001 Assembly elections.
Kolkata/Malda: In a bid to mount pressure on the Election Commission, which is enforcing the election code on parties, CPM state secretary Biman Bose trained his guns on the EC, saying it was playing partisan. He alleged that the commission did not adhere to norms while hearing out political parties. “The commission came down to the city on March 19 to talk to all recognised political parties. While CPM, Forward Bloc and RSP were given 10 minutes each, the EC gave 40 minutes to Trinamool Congress. This is discriminatory,” Bose said. The CPM state secretary, however, did not come clear on whether his party was going to lodge a complaint against the EC. “We are yet to decide on it,” Bose said. The CPM state secretary pointed out how Trinamool was flouting the election code. “I am not going to any public meeting without a copy of the permission granted by police. But the Opposition doesn’t seem to care. I lodged a complaint on the Trinamool meeting in Nandigram. Mamata Banerjee held that meeting without permission,” Bose said. On Saturday, Malda CPM lodged a complaint against Pranab Mukherjee, the Congress candidate from Jangipur. Chief electoral officer Debashis Sen, however, rubbished the CPM charge. “The EC did not play partisan. Political parties were allotted 10 minutes each. But all of them exceeded their time limit,” Sen said, showing the media a copy of the EC letter sent to the Trinamool secretary on March 17, allotting the party a slot between 12 and 12.10 pm. Trinamool, on the other hand, complained to the EC, saying that finance minister Asim Dasgupta made tall promises in his vote-on-account speech, flouting EC norms. In Malda, CPM zonal secretary Dibya Shankar Shukul alleged that Mukherjee flouted the HC ban and the EC directive against use of microphones during examination, with the leader using loudspeakers in villages of Suti block on March 19. Biman saw a sinister design against the Left Front on the lines of the CIA model. “Some senior US consular staff in Kolkata recently held a meeting with Muslim members. There is no harm in holding consultations. US diplomats also come to our party office. But why did they have to go to a hotel? The consular staff could have held the meeting in its office itself. I know that an NGO member went to the US consulate after reaching Kolkata,” he said. Bose pointed to the recent meeting between the CIA chief and Union home minister P Chidambaram over the Indo-US collaboration to substantiate his argument. “A blueprint is under way, it seems, that will not serve the interests of Muslims,” he said. The CPM had thrown similar tantrums over the visit of a US consular staff to Nanoor in Birbhum ahead of the 2001 Assembly elections.
Friday, March 20, 2009
FLOATING HOMES
The changing addresses of MANJOOR ALAM, 52
Lives in Khatiakhana char, Hamidpur, a no-man’s land off Malda in mid-Ganga Grew up in Katlamari, Hamidpur mouja, 3 km away In 1979, set up a house in this very spot after erosion claimed his home and land In 1982, moved 10 km to a char after land was lost to erosion again. This char was close to Jharkhand (then Bihar) than Bengal In 1988, moved further 3 km westward after the river changed course and submerged the thatched house In 1998, had to shift 2 km more to the west due to erosion In 2003, learnt that a char had surfaced in Hamidpur and travelled 15 km east to land at the very spot where he had lived in 1979
Lives in Khatiakhana char, Hamidpur, a no-man’s land off Malda in mid-Ganga Grew up in Katlamari, Hamidpur mouja, 3 km away In 1979, set up a house in this very spot after erosion claimed his home and land In 1982, moved 10 km to a char after land was lost to erosion again. This char was close to Jharkhand (then Bihar) than Bengal In 1988, moved further 3 km westward after the river changed course and submerged the thatched house In 1998, had to shift 2 km more to the west due to erosion In 2003, learnt that a char had surfaced in Hamidpur and travelled 15 km east to land at the very spot where he had lived in 1979
‘Give us floods, not erosion’
Sounds bizarre, but people living along the river banks in Malda prefer floods to erosion. They believe attempts by engineers and administrators to reign in flood triggered the erosion catastrophe. “Floods do cause a lot of destruction and deaths. But it does not take away the land. Erosion does not kill instantly. But it swallows everything. The very land that bound you to the earth disappears,” said erosion victim Tariqul Islam. Every year, thousands living on chars take refuge on the embankment along the mainland during monsoon deluge, only to return after the floodwaters recede. “It leaves behind a heavy deposit of silt that enriches the soil and makes it naturally fertile,” said boatman Makim Majhi. River expert Kalyan Rudra agreed that attempts to curb flood in the 1960s and ’70s by creating dams and blocking rivers led to Ganga meandering off-course. “Rivers have a natural alignment. By blocking its flow and sealing off channels like Pagla, Kalindi and Bhagirathi, Ganga has been forced to shift course, leading to the erosion,” he said. Erosion has been a cause of concern in Malda since the 1960s with official reports indicating a loss of nearly 14,500 hectare between 1931 and 1978. Irrigation department executive engineer Soumen Mishra acknowledged that the rate of floods and erosion had increased manifold since the Farakka barrage was built. “Since 1980, nearly 4,900 hectares have been lost to the river. That is frighteningly huge in a state where land is scarce,” he pointed out.
No one wants to be named Ganga
Ganga Mondal detests her name. So much so that she has asked the class teacher to suggest an alternative. Her hatred for the name stems from the scars she bears from the river that has torn everything — except life — from the thousands living along the 157-km stretch on either side of Farakka barrage. “I don’t want to bear the name of a merciless river that gobbles away homes and livelihoods, leaving people in absolute ruin. Rivers are a source of sustenance. They are providers of life. But the Ganga has turned into a terror,” said the embittered Class IX student. Once a resident of the bustling Panchanandapur locality in Kaliachak II, she became a roadside refugee in 2003 when the ferocious Ganga cut away huge swathes of land, taking with it homes, schools, shops, temples and mosques. Ganga’s fate is still better than kids like Soma Mondal, Mahboob Alam, Sohail Sheikh and Rashu Ghosh who suffer from an existential crisis. They live on Khatiakhana char, a short boat-ride away from where Ganga lives. Yet, the gulf between their lives is so wide that bridging it appears impossible without compassion and political will. “The children of Khatiakhana are growing up in a state of complete chaos and uncertainty. They lack identity since neither West Bengal, nor Jharkhand, will issue birth certificates or ration cards. Those who have turned adult cannot step out in search of work for fear of being branded Bangladeshi immigrants. An entire generation is languishing in this flux,” said Md Habibur Rahman of Ganga Bhangan Pratirodh Action Nagarik Committee that operates two primary schools in the char with aid from CRY. While NGOs struggle to provide primary education at the island, administrators and politicians run shy of addressing the need for health care, education and other basic amenities. CPM district party secretary Jibon Maitra said the government could do little till the Centre amended the manner in which state boundaries are determined. “We have been writing letters for ages without response,” he said, flipping the fate of innocent lives on to the slippery political turf.
Students carry a blackboard, and a chair for mastermoshai, at Khatiakhana Char in Malda
Students carry a blackboard, and a chair for mastermoshai, at Khatiakhana Char in Malda
LOST IN NOWHERE LAND
CAST AWAY
They are the refugees no one wants to call their own. Harassed by a rampaging Ganga and disowned by their own state, they end up being exploited for votes, say Subhro Niyogi & Subhro Maitra
Kulesh Chandra Mondal has always been a keen voter. During the last general election, he crossed two rivers and walked five kilometres to vote legitimately for a stranger in an alien state. Born in Khatiakhana village of Hamidpur gram panchayat (Kaliachak III block) in Malda, he migrated when the hungry tides of river Ganga gobbled up his village three decades ago. Since then, Mondal has taken refuge in various chars or new patches of land that emerged midstream as the river changed course. Around nine years ago, he was enrolled in an electoral photo-identity card (EPIC) drive. Three years on, when a char emerged at the very spot where Khatiakhana once stood 30 years ago, Mondal reclaimed it and settled down. Other villagers trickled in and they christened it Khatiakhana. A few months later, the EPIC arrived and left Mondal shell-shocked. The ID card stated that he belonged to Jharkhand, not Bengal. An incensed Mondal complained, but his marooned voice went unheeded. Though furious over the state switch, the conscientious voter made the arduous journey to cast his ballot. Mondal is one of the 1.5 lakh people (1,09,811 persons recorded in Census 2001) who have lost their homes to the vagaries of a mighty river and now survive on eight chars. They share the bizarre predicament of being disowned by their own state for their political allegiance and claimed by a neighbour keen to corner the vote bank. Despite the odds, several of these men and women will journey across water and land to vote. But some will not. Among them are 8,000-odd inhabitants of Khatiakhana and Subhanitola. For a geographical perspective, these chars are 50-100 metres midstream off mainland Bengal and nearly 14 km adrift of Jharkhand shore. The Bengal government has steadfastly refused to acknowledge them despite evidence (everyone above 30 has either a ration card or land documents from the state) that they lived in Manikchak, Kaliachak II and Kaliachak III before the surging Ganga claimed their home. Some have been enrolled on the voter list of Rajmahal in Jharkhand. But the administration has refused to commit more as the chars are not revenue villages. The only time parties remember the castaways is before polls. Then, Congress and CPM leaders from Malda cross the river to campaign for their party candidates in Jharkhand. “Politicians from Malda come because they know people will connect with them rather than someone from an alien land,” said char resident Zakir Sheikh who has neither a ration card, nor an EPIC as he was born to an erosion-uprooted family. Hundreds suffer a similar existential crisis with no evidence of birth. Or death. “We realize we are just votes. The Left Front government has washed its hands of us because a majority are Muslims who have traditionally voted for Congress in Malda. The Jharkhand government has allowed voting right but shirks from providing drinking water, schools, health centre and roads,” fumed Sohail Sheikh. With the governments turning a blind eye, the erosion victims have no clue which administration they belong to and cannot avail of poverty alleviation programmes like National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme that provides 100 days’ work. “If we knew where we belonged, we could figure our rights and make demands,” Sabitri Mondal pointed out. Five months ago, her husband Bikash was arrested by West Bengal Police and lodged in Malda jail when he had a fight with his char neighbour. When she cited the police action as proof of being a Bengal citizen, Bikash was released. Last year, the char residents tried another trick to establish legitimacy. They cultivated opium seeds that is barred without permit. When word got around, police from both states arrived, inspected the site and left. “Neither of them wanted to act as that would amount to acknowledging that we were part of one state or the other,” rued Rajen Nath Mondal, who teaches at one of the two primary schools operated by Child Relief & You. Tariqul Islam, founder member of Ganga Bhangan Pratirodh Action Nagarik Committee, a non-political outfit set up in 1998 to combat erosion and fight for victims’ rights, acknowledged that little has been achieved a decade later. “We have highlighted the plight of erosion victims before state and national leaders of all political hues to no avail. Interstate boundary are still determined by the river that shifts course and not according to mouja measurements. Erosion is still not considered a natural disaster. So victims don’t get compensation,” said Islam. An erosion victim himself, Islam’s house was in one of the 19 hamlets of Kakri Budha Jhaobona panchayat that was completely swept away in 1998. In 2003, the Bengal government abolished the panchayat. Grandson of Taheruddin Ahmed, a zamindar with a 650 bigha estate, Islam had to start from scratch after the river reduced him to a refugee. Of the 60 bigha at Kaliachak III that Manjoor Alam lost to the moody river in 1979, he has reclaimed six bigha when Khatiakhana char emerged. Last year, he sold two bigha to a fellow villager. Curiously, the transaction took place in the office of Kaliachak subregistrar. While Bengal disowns the chars, land deeds continue to be transferred and registered here. Incensed by the apathy of the state, inhabitants of Khatiakhana and Subhanitola plan to shoo off politicians if they arrive to campaign. A poll boycott is on the agenda. An official from Jharkhand, who came to Khatiakhana to revise the electoral list a couple of weeks ago, was chased away. “Give us basic amenities first, and then seek our vote,” growled Razia Biwi. She has not voted since 1980. Back to Kulesh Chandra Mondal, who at 60, made that gruelling journey to cast his vote five years ago. Despite his advancing years and failing eyesight, his enthusiasm in participating in the electoral process remains undiminished. “One has to just look across the border (at Pakistan and Bangladesh) to see the struggle to uphold democracy. I have always believed that every vote counts,” he said with conviction. This year though, he is undecided. “With my very state disenfranchising me, I am angry and want to protest. But I don’t know if abstaining from elections is the right way,” said Mondal, clearly battling a dilemma within. In an electoral collage as huge as that of India, Mondal’s vote may appear insignificant. But if this committed voter and resolute believer in democracy abstains from this year’s elections, it will leave our enigmatic and grandiose elections a wee bit impoverished. RIVER RAMPAGE IN MALDA * 4,816 hectares eroded since 1980 * Over 40,000 families turned refugees * 26 villages washed away since 1995 * 5,000 languishing along riverbank * 100 primary schools/madrasas, 15 high schools hit * 64 moujas of Manikchak, English Bazar and Kaliachak II blocks eroded * KB Jhoubona panchayat under Kaliachak II wiped away * Jharkhand claimed 13 moujas of Manikchak and 29 of Kaliachak that surfaced as chars on right bank
They are the refugees no one wants to call their own. Harassed by a rampaging Ganga and disowned by their own state, they end up being exploited for votes, say Subhro Niyogi & Subhro Maitra
Kulesh Chandra Mondal has always been a keen voter. During the last general election, he crossed two rivers and walked five kilometres to vote legitimately for a stranger in an alien state. Born in Khatiakhana village of Hamidpur gram panchayat (Kaliachak III block) in Malda, he migrated when the hungry tides of river Ganga gobbled up his village three decades ago. Since then, Mondal has taken refuge in various chars or new patches of land that emerged midstream as the river changed course. Around nine years ago, he was enrolled in an electoral photo-identity card (EPIC) drive. Three years on, when a char emerged at the very spot where Khatiakhana once stood 30 years ago, Mondal reclaimed it and settled down. Other villagers trickled in and they christened it Khatiakhana. A few months later, the EPIC arrived and left Mondal shell-shocked. The ID card stated that he belonged to Jharkhand, not Bengal. An incensed Mondal complained, but his marooned voice went unheeded. Though furious over the state switch, the conscientious voter made the arduous journey to cast his ballot. Mondal is one of the 1.5 lakh people (1,09,811 persons recorded in Census 2001) who have lost their homes to the vagaries of a mighty river and now survive on eight chars. They share the bizarre predicament of being disowned by their own state for their political allegiance and claimed by a neighbour keen to corner the vote bank. Despite the odds, several of these men and women will journey across water and land to vote. But some will not. Among them are 8,000-odd inhabitants of Khatiakhana and Subhanitola. For a geographical perspective, these chars are 50-100 metres midstream off mainland Bengal and nearly 14 km adrift of Jharkhand shore. The Bengal government has steadfastly refused to acknowledge them despite evidence (everyone above 30 has either a ration card or land documents from the state) that they lived in Manikchak, Kaliachak II and Kaliachak III before the surging Ganga claimed their home. Some have been enrolled on the voter list of Rajmahal in Jharkhand. But the administration has refused to commit more as the chars are not revenue villages. The only time parties remember the castaways is before polls. Then, Congress and CPM leaders from Malda cross the river to campaign for their party candidates in Jharkhand. “Politicians from Malda come because they know people will connect with them rather than someone from an alien land,” said char resident Zakir Sheikh who has neither a ration card, nor an EPIC as he was born to an erosion-uprooted family. Hundreds suffer a similar existential crisis with no evidence of birth. Or death. “We realize we are just votes. The Left Front government has washed its hands of us because a majority are Muslims who have traditionally voted for Congress in Malda. The Jharkhand government has allowed voting right but shirks from providing drinking water, schools, health centre and roads,” fumed Sohail Sheikh. With the governments turning a blind eye, the erosion victims have no clue which administration they belong to and cannot avail of poverty alleviation programmes like National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme that provides 100 days’ work. “If we knew where we belonged, we could figure our rights and make demands,” Sabitri Mondal pointed out. Five months ago, her husband Bikash was arrested by West Bengal Police and lodged in Malda jail when he had a fight with his char neighbour. When she cited the police action as proof of being a Bengal citizen, Bikash was released. Last year, the char residents tried another trick to establish legitimacy. They cultivated opium seeds that is barred without permit. When word got around, police from both states arrived, inspected the site and left. “Neither of them wanted to act as that would amount to acknowledging that we were part of one state or the other,” rued Rajen Nath Mondal, who teaches at one of the two primary schools operated by Child Relief & You. Tariqul Islam, founder member of Ganga Bhangan Pratirodh Action Nagarik Committee, a non-political outfit set up in 1998 to combat erosion and fight for victims’ rights, acknowledged that little has been achieved a decade later. “We have highlighted the plight of erosion victims before state and national leaders of all political hues to no avail. Interstate boundary are still determined by the river that shifts course and not according to mouja measurements. Erosion is still not considered a natural disaster. So victims don’t get compensation,” said Islam. An erosion victim himself, Islam’s house was in one of the 19 hamlets of Kakri Budha Jhaobona panchayat that was completely swept away in 1998. In 2003, the Bengal government abolished the panchayat. Grandson of Taheruddin Ahmed, a zamindar with a 650 bigha estate, Islam had to start from scratch after the river reduced him to a refugee. Of the 60 bigha at Kaliachak III that Manjoor Alam lost to the moody river in 1979, he has reclaimed six bigha when Khatiakhana char emerged. Last year, he sold two bigha to a fellow villager. Curiously, the transaction took place in the office of Kaliachak subregistrar. While Bengal disowns the chars, land deeds continue to be transferred and registered here. Incensed by the apathy of the state, inhabitants of Khatiakhana and Subhanitola plan to shoo off politicians if they arrive to campaign. A poll boycott is on the agenda. An official from Jharkhand, who came to Khatiakhana to revise the electoral list a couple of weeks ago, was chased away. “Give us basic amenities first, and then seek our vote,” growled Razia Biwi. She has not voted since 1980. Back to Kulesh Chandra Mondal, who at 60, made that gruelling journey to cast his vote five years ago. Despite his advancing years and failing eyesight, his enthusiasm in participating in the electoral process remains undiminished. “One has to just look across the border (at Pakistan and Bangladesh) to see the struggle to uphold democracy. I have always believed that every vote counts,” he said with conviction. This year though, he is undecided. “With my very state disenfranchising me, I am angry and want to protest. But I don’t know if abstaining from elections is the right way,” said Mondal, clearly battling a dilemma within. In an electoral collage as huge as that of India, Mondal’s vote may appear insignificant. But if this committed voter and resolute believer in democracy abstains from this year’s elections, it will leave our enigmatic and grandiose elections a wee bit impoverished. RIVER RAMPAGE IN MALDA * 4,816 hectares eroded since 1980 * Over 40,000 families turned refugees * 26 villages washed away since 1995 * 5,000 languishing along riverbank * 100 primary schools/madrasas, 15 high schools hit * 64 moujas of Manikchak, English Bazar and Kaliachak II blocks eroded * KB Jhoubona panchayat under Kaliachak II wiped away * Jharkhand claimed 13 moujas of Manikchak and 29 of Kaliachak that surfaced as chars on right bank
Monday, March 9, 2009
Malda CPM fields academic against Cong heavyweight
Subhro Maitra Malda March 8: The CPM has adopted a new strategy in fielding candidate against Congress heavy weight Abu Hasem Khan Choudhury in Malda South. The poll campaigning strategy is unique as well.
Instead of party leaders this time Malda CPM has decided to field an academic to fight the Congress in Malda South. Abdur Razzaque is a former principal of Kaliachak .
Party insiders felt that the strategy was taken on the face of recent results of the election where CPI (M) was hugely defeated—be it in the parliament or in Assembly bypoll.
Interestingly, the party adopted a new strategy when it launched a campaign forRazzaque. It collected the names and addresses of all his so that he can meet them personally. The suggestion came from Razzaque himself, who is a former professor of economics and commerce.
"Once the lists is completed, I will meet with my thousands of students,” he said. The former principal would also go to his village of Uttar Laxmipur in Kaliachak II block, where he was born to seek votes from the residents of this traditionally Congress-dominated belt.
Razzaque plans to focus on rural development for poor farmers and highlight the loopholes in the Centre's plans for them. His PhD research papers were based on this very subject.
“My papers have been appreciated by experts in Bangladesh during a discussion on rural development. If I am elected as MP, I would stress the need to launch more rural credit systems for poor farmers, based on the theory of the ‘vicious circle of poverty’. These rural credit systems would ensure that poor people do not fall into debt traps,” he said.
“Many recommendations in my research papers are yet to be implemented in the present policy of the Central government. If I am elected, I will push for their integration,” he added.
Posters supporting Kamtapur found
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Malda: At least 10 posters in support of armed struggle were found in Malda’s Habibpur on Sunday. At Jajoil, under Habibpur police station, these hand-written posters were found in support of the Kamtapur state. The posters also spoke of “police atrocities” against the Kamtapur movement. The posters, ostensibly issued by Kamtapur Liberation Organization (KLO), demanded the “rights of the Rajbanshi community” and called for “sashastra sangram” (armed struggle). Although police could not yet determine who were behind the posters, they felt the posters aimed at creating sensation ahead of the Lok Sabha polls in the area, which has a strong KPP and KLO support. “They want to make their presence felt before the election,” said a police officer. Malda police arrested a KLO activist from neighbouring Bamangola on Saturday. Ujjwal Mandal of Simla village was reportedly close to local KLO leaders. Police produced Mandal in court on Sunday. He was charged for dealing in arms.
Malda: At least 10 posters in support of armed struggle were found in Malda’s Habibpur on Sunday. At Jajoil, under Habibpur police station, these hand-written posters were found in support of the Kamtapur state. The posters also spoke of “police atrocities” against the Kamtapur movement. The posters, ostensibly issued by Kamtapur Liberation Organization (KLO), demanded the “rights of the Rajbanshi community” and called for “sashastra sangram” (armed struggle). Although police could not yet determine who were behind the posters, they felt the posters aimed at creating sensation ahead of the Lok Sabha polls in the area, which has a strong KPP and KLO support. “They want to make their presence felt before the election,” said a police officer. Malda police arrested a KLO activist from neighbouring Bamangola on Saturday. Ujjwal Mandal of Simla village was reportedly close to local KLO leaders. Police produced Mandal in court on Sunday. He was charged for dealing in arms.
Malda Cong divided over nomination
Subhro Maitra TNN
Malda: In this Congress bastion, the legacy of Barkatda still looms large. But the moot point is, who is its inheritor. This is the question most Congressmen are grappling with as the district unit faces a major challenge over the nomination of the party candidate from the newly created North Malda constituency. While sitting Malda MP and Ghani Khan’s brother Abu Hasem Khan Choudhury, wants elder brother Abu Naser to contest, many partymen are dead against it. The broad view within the party is that Naser is an outsider in district politics. Though he hails from the Kotwali house, Naser is a Swiss citizen and shared a bitter relationship with Ghani Khan. He even contested against the Malda strongman in 1995 with CPM support. Leaders like Narendra Nath Tiwari, Asit Bose, Krishnendu Choudhury and others have informed the party high command of their displeasure over Naser’s candidature. AICC observers Shakil Ansari and Entaj Alam sensed the ire of district leaders against Naser. The Naser baiters are pitching for Sabitri Mitra, four-time MLA of Araidanga and a confidante of Ghani Khan.
Malda: In this Congress bastion, the legacy of Barkatda still looms large. But the moot point is, who is its inheritor. This is the question most Congressmen are grappling with as the district unit faces a major challenge over the nomination of the party candidate from the newly created North Malda constituency. While sitting Malda MP and Ghani Khan’s brother Abu Hasem Khan Choudhury, wants elder brother Abu Naser to contest, many partymen are dead against it. The broad view within the party is that Naser is an outsider in district politics. Though he hails from the Kotwali house, Naser is a Swiss citizen and shared a bitter relationship with Ghani Khan. He even contested against the Malda strongman in 1995 with CPM support. Leaders like Narendra Nath Tiwari, Asit Bose, Krishnendu Choudhury and others have informed the party high command of their displeasure over Naser’s candidature. AICC observers Shakil Ansari and Entaj Alam sensed the ire of district leaders against Naser. The Naser baiters are pitching for Sabitri Mitra, four-time MLA of Araidanga and a confidante of Ghani Khan.
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Sacred Church items stolen
Subhro Maitra Malda March 5, 2009: Some unidentified miscreants broke open the St. Joseph’s Cathedral at Chotparua, near Raiganj North Dinajpur on last night. They broke open the Tabernacle and have taken away the Holy Communion along with the ciborium, desecrating the Church.
The miscreants have also taken away several other ciborium, chalices, monstrance, and flower vases. “It is a terrible tragedy to the Christian Community here that exactly after two months of the robbery in St. Xavier’s School in Raiganj this incident has taken place.”, said Puthumai A. Nazarene of Social Welfare Institute, Raiganj. The front gate of the Church had been broken open by the thieves to get access to the church and then they had opened every room, almirah and cup-board to take away the sacred articles. The church authorities believe that it is a theft which has turned into a sacrilege because of the nature of the theft. The Christians believe in the true presence of Jesus in the Holy Communion. A police inquiry has been initiated.
The miscreants have also taken away several other ciborium, chalices, monstrance, and flower vases. “It is a terrible tragedy to the Christian Community here that exactly after two months of the robbery in St. Xavier’s School in Raiganj this incident has taken place.”, said Puthumai A. Nazarene of Social Welfare Institute, Raiganj. The front gate of the Church had been broken open by the thieves to get access to the church and then they had opened every room, almirah and cup-board to take away the sacred articles. The church authorities believe that it is a theft which has turned into a sacrilege because of the nature of the theft. The Christians believe in the true presence of Jesus in the Holy Communion. A police inquiry has been initiated.
Missing Malda student staged kidnap
Subhro Maitra Malda March 6: Fled from house and called the guardians from a mobile to be posed as ‘kidnapped’, but the minor boy finally failed to manage the ‘script’. Subhojit Das (14), a student of Std IX of Bibhuti Bhushan High School did not return from school on 4th of this month after taking his examination.
Worried parents looked for him for the night as well as the next morning. Failed to find him they lodged a complaint to Malda Police Station. Nitai Das, the father who owns a tea stall, complained, “Last night we got a phone call from an unknown number who said my son was taken by a gang for a particular purpose to Delhi and he would return on 10th of April. This has scared us more. We feared the worse like any organ smuggling racket.” It is learnt that the phone came from a place of North 24pgns.
However, getting the complaint police began enquiry taking the clue of the phone number and the description of the missing boy. Finally police managed to locate him. Additional Police Super Kalyan Mukherjee said, “The boy took a false name and convinced a truck driver about his haplessness. He managed to get a job of a helper of the truck and moved away from Malda. We have placed him outside the district and accordingly following his route keeping in touch with other district police.” He hoped to take Subhojit back home within two days.
Meanwhile, three other minor boys of the same area found missing. They were Chandan Mandal and Sujit Mandal, students of Kalachand High School of Std VII and VIII respectively and Suman Pal, a drop out. They were all inhabitants of Mangalbari, Old Malda. However, the complaint of them was not made to police till this morning.
Worried parents looked for him for the night as well as the next morning. Failed to find him they lodged a complaint to Malda Police Station. Nitai Das, the father who owns a tea stall, complained, “Last night we got a phone call from an unknown number who said my son was taken by a gang for a particular purpose to Delhi and he would return on 10th of April. This has scared us more. We feared the worse like any organ smuggling racket.” It is learnt that the phone came from a place of North 24pgns.
However, getting the complaint police began enquiry taking the clue of the phone number and the description of the missing boy. Finally police managed to locate him. Additional Police Super Kalyan Mukherjee said, “The boy took a false name and convinced a truck driver about his haplessness. He managed to get a job of a helper of the truck and moved away from Malda. We have placed him outside the district and accordingly following his route keeping in touch with other district police.” He hoped to take Subhojit back home within two days.
Meanwhile, three other minor boys of the same area found missing. They were Chandan Mandal and Sujit Mandal, students of Kalachand High School of Std VII and VIII respectively and Suman Pal, a drop out. They were all inhabitants of Mangalbari, Old Malda. However, the complaint of them was not made to police till this morning.
One lakh Malda voters without EPIC
Subhro Maitra Malda March 5, 2009: If Election Commission insists on the mandatory Electoral Photo Identity Card (EPIC) for the voters, Malda presents a pathetic figure regarding the EPIC coverage. More than one lakh voters are still there who don’t have the EPIC. In fact yesterday in a video conference district administration drew flak from the EC for this poor showing.
On the other hand the performance of neighbouring district South Dinajpur is excellent as already 98.76% of the voters have got the EPIC there. District Magistrate Ashok Banerjee said, “After the deadline of 10th March, we hope to cover almost all the voters leaving aside only 3384 voters out of total voters 860044, who have left their constituency.”
However, out of 143806 new voters of the Malda only 38109 voters were issued photo identity card so far. There is little chance of achieving the target within deadline. District Magistrate Sridhar Ghosh conceded, “It is really a poor performance on our part. We have to expedite the process as EC has made it imperative to have EPIC for casting votes.” While the process of taking photographs for EPIC is already on,an emergency meeting of the 15 Block Development Officers (BDO) was called today on this issue.
In the minority dominated blocks like Sujapur and Harishchandrapur less than 20% of the new voters were issued EPIC. For example out of 16739 new voters of Sujapur only 3284 were issued EPIC while at Harishchandrapur 2110 got EPIC out of 10799. Again in the tribal dominated Habibpur which also shares a large part of the Bangladesh border, only 2051 voters have EPIC out of 15073.
Ghosh observed that the trend of huge migration from these areas to the other states is mainly responsible for such a poor coverage. “Those who go to the other states as labourers have hardly turned up for their EPIC.” Even those who have included their names at electoral roll, hardly bother to have their photographs taken.
Meanwhile, for the first time in the state a training of the police personnel has begun at Malda today. Sub Divisional Officer Prakash Pal along with Assistant Returning Officer Subho Mukherjee held a training on the duty of police during election campaign.
On the other hand the performance of neighbouring district South Dinajpur is excellent as already 98.76% of the voters have got the EPIC there. District Magistrate Ashok Banerjee said, “After the deadline of 10th March, we hope to cover almost all the voters leaving aside only 3384 voters out of total voters 860044, who have left their constituency.”
However, out of 143806 new voters of the Malda only 38109 voters were issued photo identity card so far. There is little chance of achieving the target within deadline. District Magistrate Sridhar Ghosh conceded, “It is really a poor performance on our part. We have to expedite the process as EC has made it imperative to have EPIC for casting votes.” While the process of taking photographs for EPIC is already on,an emergency meeting of the 15 Block Development Officers (BDO) was called today on this issue.
In the minority dominated blocks like Sujapur and Harishchandrapur less than 20% of the new voters were issued EPIC. For example out of 16739 new voters of Sujapur only 3284 were issued EPIC while at Harishchandrapur 2110 got EPIC out of 10799. Again in the tribal dominated Habibpur which also shares a large part of the Bangladesh border, only 2051 voters have EPIC out of 15073.
Ghosh observed that the trend of huge migration from these areas to the other states is mainly responsible for such a poor coverage. “Those who go to the other states as labourers have hardly turned up for their EPIC.” Even those who have included their names at electoral roll, hardly bother to have their photographs taken.
Meanwhile, for the first time in the state a training of the police personnel has begun at Malda today. Sub Divisional Officer Prakash Pal along with Assistant Returning Officer Subho Mukherjee held a training on the duty of police during election campaign.
Invigilators beaten up
Kolkata: There were several reports of Madhyamik-related violence from the districts on Friday, the last day of the examination. An examinee, along with her mother and friends, reportedly beat up invigilator Baisakhi Banerjee, a teacher at Chakdah Ramlal Academy, at Chakdah station after the exam got over. A complaint was lodged with Chakdah GRP. Police said the girl had allegedly adopted unfair means during the geography exam. Teachers had kept her under strict vigil. In another incident, Debabpriya Sarkar, a teacher at Madanpur Kendriya Adarsha Vidyapeeth, was attacked by some examinees while he was standing at Madanpur station after the exam got over. His colleagues saved him from further harassment. A complaint was lodged. Students ransacked classrooms and attacked teachers at Kalindri High School in Malda’s Manikchak on Friday, protesting “strict vigil”. There were reports that Friday’s mathematics paper was “tough”. WBBSE, however, said it had received no such complaints. TNN
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Woman takes Madhyamik hours after delivery
Subhro Maitra Malda March 3: Delivered a baby in the morning and within three hours in the examination hall for taking Madhyamik. Such an instance at Nagharia High School, Malda has startled the school authority as well as the administration. “Kudos to her spirit”, said Sub Divisional Officer Prakash Pal while the school authority did their best to provide the new mother all the comforts.
Sahina Khatun, a student of Milki High School, was married with Ajmul Sk of Amrity two years back. However, she did not give up her study, “mainly at the husband’s insistence”. Accordingly she was promoted to Std X last year and was allowed for Madhyamik after the test examination. However, in the meantime, she became pregnant. She was expecting her baby in April.
But that could not deter her from taking Madhyamik this year. “She was not ready to miss a year at any cost”, said her insurance agent husband. Accordingly she was taking at Nagharia High School under English Bazaar police station. Although the first four days passed smoothly, last night she felt the pain. The pain being unbearable Sahina was taken to local Milki Hospital at 3.30 am. Under the supervision of the doctor there she delivered a baby at 4.30 am. Both the mother and baby were fine, as the doctors said.
In the morning she insisted on going home and doctors released her with some instructions and medicines. Weak Sahina was taken home, but at the surprise of all the inmates, she expressed her desire to take examination today. At 11.00 am she reached the exam venue wit her husband and sister in law Kamrun Biwi. Nagharia School authority after their initial surprise, arranged a special room with a make shift bed for Sahina. The school authority contacted SDO Prakash Pal for medical help. Later a medical team comprising a doctor and a nurse came to exam hall to check Sahina who despite her weakness refused to be shifted to hospital. Finally she completed her Geography paper. Pal said, “We salute her spirit and vow to do all she needs for the completion of examination.”
Sahina Khatun, a student of Milki High School, was married with Ajmul Sk of Amrity two years back. However, she did not give up her study, “mainly at the husband’s insistence”. Accordingly she was promoted to Std X last year and was allowed for Madhyamik after the test examination. However, in the meantime, she became pregnant. She was expecting her baby in April.
But that could not deter her from taking Madhyamik this year. “She was not ready to miss a year at any cost”, said her insurance agent husband. Accordingly she was taking at Nagharia High School under English Bazaar police station. Although the first four days passed smoothly, last night she felt the pain. The pain being unbearable Sahina was taken to local Milki Hospital at 3.30 am. Under the supervision of the doctor there she delivered a baby at 4.30 am. Both the mother and baby were fine, as the doctors said.
In the morning she insisted on going home and doctors released her with some instructions and medicines. Weak Sahina was taken home, but at the surprise of all the inmates, she expressed her desire to take examination today. At 11.00 am she reached the exam venue wit her husband and sister in law Kamrun Biwi. Nagharia School authority after their initial surprise, arranged a special room with a make shift bed for Sahina. The school authority contacted SDO Prakash Pal for medical help. Later a medical team comprising a doctor and a nurse came to exam hall to check Sahina who despite her weakness refused to be shifted to hospital. Finally she completed her Geography paper. Pal said, “We salute her spirit and vow to do all she needs for the completion of examination.”
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Rail roko’ delays several trains
Malda: A ‘rail roko’ to protest the decision to form a new railway division at Bhagalpur disrupted train services in the Eastern and Northeast Frontier railway zones on Sunday. Members of Malda Railway Division Banchao Committee, comprising leaders of all political parties, trade unions and Malda Merchants’ Chamber of Commerce, blocked the tracks at Rathbari railway crossing in English Bazaar at 6 am. The Gour Express, Puri-Guwahati Express, Kanchenjungha Express, Farakka Express and Garib Rath Express were delayed by five hours. The Malda-NJP passenger train was cancelled. TNN
Ruckus at Malda school again, police open fire
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Malda: For the second consecutive day, Bangitola High School in Malda turned into a battlefield with students and guardians taking on teachers — and even policemen on Saturday — for not being allowed to use unfair means during the Madhyamik life science paper. Police had to fire at least two rounds in the air to quell the mob. Three policemen were seriously injured. On Friday, trouble had broken out at Bangitola High School and Baluachora High School in Kaliachak over the same reason. Invigilators had been roughed up by students and their bikes torched for not allowing them to copy during the “tough” English paper. Accordingly, on Saturday, security had been beefed up at both centres, where armed policemen had been deployed. The heightened security caused further trouble for the 392 candidates taking the exam from Bangitola, all of them being continuing or compartmental candidates, who did not clear the exam last year. Like Friday, on Saturday, too, they were denied the chance to use unfair means. After the exam, the angry students turned violent. With the guardians, they began pelting stones at the teachers and policemen. Police then fired two rounds in the air to disperse the mob. No one was injured. Later, a huge force, led by the DSP, reached the school. Additional SP Kalyan Mukherjee confirmed the firing. “We had to fire in the air as our men were attacked by the mob,” he said.
Malda: For the second consecutive day, Bangitola High School in Malda turned into a battlefield with students and guardians taking on teachers — and even policemen on Saturday — for not being allowed to use unfair means during the Madhyamik life science paper. Police had to fire at least two rounds in the air to quell the mob. Three policemen were seriously injured. On Friday, trouble had broken out at Bangitola High School and Baluachora High School in Kaliachak over the same reason. Invigilators had been roughed up by students and their bikes torched for not allowing them to copy during the “tough” English paper. Accordingly, on Saturday, security had been beefed up at both centres, where armed policemen had been deployed. The heightened security caused further trouble for the 392 candidates taking the exam from Bangitola, all of them being continuing or compartmental candidates, who did not clear the exam last year. Like Friday, on Saturday, too, they were denied the chance to use unfair means. After the exam, the angry students turned violent. With the guardians, they began pelting stones at the teachers and policemen. Police then fired two rounds in the air to disperse the mob. No one was injured. Later, a huge force, led by the DSP, reached the school. Additional SP Kalyan Mukherjee confirmed the firing. “We had to fire in the air as our men were attacked by the mob,” he said.
Madarsa in eye of molest storm
Madarsa in eye of molest storm
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Malda: No less than 54 residential students at a madarsa — all of them minors — in Malda’s English Bazar have lodged a molestation complaint against the madarsa chairman. Police have started a probe, though no one has been arrested yet. A Class VII student in Jamia Fatemahtuj Jahorar Mahila Madrasha at Babupur had written to her mother on February 24, saying that the chairman, Nurul Islam, had made “obscene comments” to her. She alleged that Islam often called her to his private chamber and made lewd proposals. She appealed to her mother to take her home. Islam, however, scoffed at the allegations. “It is a conspiracy by a section of the teachers. The girls were misled,” he said. On Friday, a complaint was lodged with Malda SP Satyajit Bandyopadhyay by the 54 girls, all students in classes VI and VII. They claimed that Islam often called them to his chamber and “touched them indecently”. The letter that the girl had written to her mother was also submitted to the SP. The girls alleged that they were denied food and forced to do chores as punishment by the chairman if they did not go to his private chamber. “Women officers have been sent to talk to the girls. If the allegations are true, we shall file a case against the chairman,” said the SP. State minorities welfare minister, Abdus Sattar, said: “It seems the madarsa is not recognised by our board.”
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Malda: No less than 54 residential students at a madarsa — all of them minors — in Malda’s English Bazar have lodged a molestation complaint against the madarsa chairman. Police have started a probe, though no one has been arrested yet. A Class VII student in Jamia Fatemahtuj Jahorar Mahila Madrasha at Babupur had written to her mother on February 24, saying that the chairman, Nurul Islam, had made “obscene comments” to her. She alleged that Islam often called her to his private chamber and made lewd proposals. She appealed to her mother to take her home. Islam, however, scoffed at the allegations. “It is a conspiracy by a section of the teachers. The girls were misled,” he said. On Friday, a complaint was lodged with Malda SP Satyajit Bandyopadhyay by the 54 girls, all students in classes VI and VII. They claimed that Islam often called them to his chamber and “touched them indecently”. The letter that the girl had written to her mother was also submitted to the SP. The girls alleged that they were denied food and forced to do chores as punishment by the chairman if they did not go to his private chamber. “Women officers have been sent to talk to the girls. If the allegations are true, we shall file a case against the chairman,” said the SP. State minorities welfare minister, Abdus Sattar, said: “It seems the madarsa is not recognised by our board.”
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