Demands White Paper on the project to set up a township at Rajarhat on the outskirts of the city
KOLKATA: The Bharatiya Janata Party announced here on Friday that it would lay siege to the office of the West Bengal Housing Infrastructure Development Corporation (HIDCO) chaired by the Housing Minister, Gautam Deb, unless the company releases a White Paper revealing every detail related to acquisition of land for the project to set up a township at Rajarhat on the north-eastern fringe of the city.
The announcement came a day after supporters of the Trinamool Congress held a demonstration outside the HIDCO office.
BJP supporters held symbolic protests during the day with a plough and bullocks, planting paddy in front of the HIDCO office, demanding that the interests of the farmers in Rajarhat not be compromised.
‘Not against township'
“We are not against the land acquisition or against the setting up of a township. But we want that the farmers be given their due,” said Rahul Sinha, president of the State unit of the BJP.
Mr. Sinha alleged rampant corruption by supporters of the Trinamool Congress and the CPI (M) in the process of acquisition and asked the State Government to reveal all details about the prices at which land was bought and then sold. They also sought clarity on those who have lost their land.
The issue has snowballed into a major controversy since Trinamool leader Mamata Banerjee held a public rally at Rajarhat last month alleging that the CPI (M) was responsible for forcible land acquisition.
However, Mr. Sinha claimed that the Trinamool Congress' was a “sham” protest as several contractors associated with the party were among the syndicates that were supplying material for the construction at Rajarhat.
“If the State Government does not bring out a White Paper on the matter by the end of this month, we shall lay siege to the HIDCO office,” Mr. Sinha said.
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