C M says first round of polls peaceful

Statesman News Service

BULBULCHANDI (Malda) May 11: The chief minister Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee said that a section of media and some newspapers predicted more violence and untoward incidents in rural polls but today’s first of phase panchayat polls was conducted peacefully.Addressing a political rally at Bulbulchandi, tribal dominated backward area of the district, this evening, Mr Bhattacharjee said: “A section of media is always canvassing that the Left Front government is grabbing land from farmers for industrialisation. Those who propagate against us do not have any relation with the land. We did a lot to establish land rights for farmers”. Criticising the role of UPA government, Mr Bhattacharjee said: “We need to find out an alternative way to form another government ~ a third alternative force ~ in the Centre to control price hike of essential commodities. The NDA government could not check price hike. The Congress-led UPA government has failed to control price hike. This Central government will not able to check price hike of essential commodities”. “A state government can not control price of essential commodities. Has the Delhi state government controlled price of goods there? Only the Centre can control the price hike”, he said. “The Congress is running the present government with our support in Delhi. If we withdraw our support the government will fall apart.” The chief minister also criticised the role of Congress in this state and said: “The Congress is sleeping here”. Mr Bhattacharjee also countered the election campaigning organised by the Union minister for information and broadcasting and state PCC chief Mr Priya Ranjan Das Munshi and said: “Mr Das Munshi has urged people to cast votes in favour of the BJP where there is no Congress candidate in panchayat polls in Malda. What does it mean?” He said that two Congress- led Zilla Parishads in Malda and Murshidabad did nothing for the development of these two districts in comparison with other districts in the state where the LF is in power. These two districts are lagging behind due to Congress backed by the Trinamul and the BJP, he added. “We have surplus electricity but could not provide it in all villages in the state. Only panchayats can provide three essential amenities like road, water and electricity”, he said.

CM criticises Sacher report

Chief minister Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacherjee today described the Sacher Committee report as fictional in Kaliachak, a minority dominated belt. The CM said this while addressing a political rally at Karbala Maydan in Kaliachak this evening. “I had asked chairman of the Sacher Committee why the number of minority people in the government sector have been considered. There are lots of Muslims who are working in private and semi-government organisations like panchayat, primary schools and other educational institutions. Had the committee considered all sectors the report would have been complete.“I also told the chairman that many Muslim people depend on agricultural sector in the state. The state government has provided assistance for their development in this sector but it has not been reflected in the Sacher committee report”, he argued. He also pointed out that the state government had been trying to development Madrassa education. “The state government is seriously considering more development of Madrassas where they are lagging behind,” he added. “I have heard that Maoists exploded a vehicle of ‘police forces’ in Purulia. Except this, today’s panchayat polls ended peacefully”, the chief minister said.