BJP ‘farms’ rice on potholed roads as protest

Kolkata, Aug 25 (IANS) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Thursday ‘planted’ rice saplings and fish eggs in pot holes on a road here to highlight the poor condition of roads across West Bengal.

Groups of slogan-shouting BJP workers carrying party flags joined the protest, with state BJP president Rahul Sinha leading the agitation at the busy Eastern Metropolitan Bypass here.

‘The condition of the roads across the state is poor, to say the least. Some craters in the road are as wide as paddy fields while the others are deep enough to be fish ponds. We are doing this to attract the attention of the government which has turned a blind eye to the state of roads,’ said Sinha.

Sinha accused the Mamata Banerjee-led state government of being insensitive to the issue and the plight of the people.

‘Travelling on roads is important as this (EM bypass) is a nightmare. Often accidents happen because of craters, claiming precious lives. This is true for all roads across the state. The government is just doing nothing.’

Police unleash violence on BJP youth brigade

After a long time, the Opposition BJP workers put on an impressive show of street protest in the national Capital on Tuesday. Cocking a snook at the heavy security bandobast and braving lathicharge and bursts from water-cannon, BJP workers managed to reach Gate No. 1 of Parliament House facing Vijay Chowk.

With hundreds of BJP workers shouting slogans at the gate and trying to enter, the Parliament’s security machinery pulled out all resources at its command and an unsavoury situation was averted. Senior officers rushed to the spot as CRPF personnel posted within premises trained their weapons on BJP activists.

Delhi Police registered a case of rioting and damage to public property at Parliament Street police station.

Special Commissioner of Police (Law & Order) Dharmender Kumar said all those who indulged in violence and broke the security cordon were being identified. “We have video recordings and penal action will follow,” he added.

Several thousands of workers of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), the youth wing of the BJP, were lathi-charged at Jantar Mantar while they were leading a protest towards the Parliament against corruption and black money.

At least 40 BJP workers were injured, with seven reportedly critical. Those hurt were rushed to Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, where senior BJP leaders — including LK Advani, Arun Jaitley and Nitin Gadkari — visited them later in the evening. Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj, senior party leader Anant Kumar, Shahnawaz Husain, Rajya Sabha MP Venkaiah Naidu, and Delhi BJP chief Vijendra Gupta also met the injured. Naidu to reporters that many were injured in the clash, with several suffering leg fractures.

Earlier, a few party workers managed to breach security cordons and reached Patel Chowk roundabout, however, police personnel positioned there dispersed them.

When the police failed to deter charged up BJP workers proceeding further with water cannon after they breached first layer of barricading at Sansad Marg, security personnel also lobbed teargas shells.

Later, police had to wield baton to disperse irrepressible crowd.

A few policemen were also got injured as the protesters pelted stones at police party. BJYM president and BJP MP Anurag Thakur who was leading the protest march against corruption and black money claimed police party picked up several party workers and beat them up in the Parliament Street Police Station.

“Nearly 15 party workers are injured in the lathicharge have been sent to the hospital so far. It is totally injustice that police beat people who protest peacefully. They (police) pick them, bring in the police station and then beat them mercilessly. We are not allowed to speak in the Parliament now the Government is trying to suppress our voice on the streets also,” said Thakur.

In the afternoon, nearly 25, 000 members of BJP’s youth morcha left from Ramlila Maidan for ‘Sansad Gherao’ though large number of them could not reach Jantar Mantar as they were stopped by the police in between.

Special CP Kumar said BJP workers violated the written undertaking that would abide by the Supreme Court’s directions to maintain peace and obey lawful directions of the police. Kumar said BJYM activists had sought permission to hold a rally at Ramlila Maidan and thereafter hold a protest march to Parliament Street in the afternoon. Permission was granted to them only after they agreed to abide for a peaceful protest.

However, despite the written undertaking and assurances given by their leaders during the meetings held with police, the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) activists became violent on reaching Parliament Street, damaged the stage erected for speeches, climbed on to the police barricades and indulged in heavy stone pelting which resulted in injuries to at least 23 police personnel. Two policemen sustained grievous injuries, Kumar said.

Delhi Police was forced to use water cannon and 15 tear gas shells were lobbed to disperse the crowd that turned violent.

Kumar said, the police exercised maximum restraint and tried to persuade them to disperse for about 45 minutes. Kumar denied that a lathi charge was ordered. However, when heavy stone pelting started, a case of rioting and damage to public property has been registered vide FIR No. 146/2011 at Police Station Parliament Street. Around 38 activists of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha have reported at RML Hospital for minor injuries received during the melee at the time of dispersal, Kumar added.

The Daily Pioneer August 10, 2011, New Delhi (Reporters : Pramod Kumar Singh/ Parvaiz Sultan)

BJP slams Govt for hike in petrol price

BJP spokesperson SHAHNAWAZ HUSSAIN
at press conference

The Bharatiya Janata Party on Saturday criticised the hike in petrol price and alleged that the “anti aam-admi” government was waiting for the assembly elections to get over to make the announcement.

“The BJP strongly condemns this increase in price of petrol. The government which always harps on being with the ‘aam admi’ (common man) is betraying it. The UPA regime says it does not control price of petrol but kept a check on it till the elections,” party spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain said.

He described the price hike a “gift” from the government after the Congress victory in West Bengal and Assam. “This is a joke on the people,” he said.

The main opposition maintained that the government could cut down on some of the central taxes to give relief to the people.

“In the last two years, the increase in petrol price has been by Rs. 23 per litre. This government should realise that when petrol prices go up, then prices of other commodities also go up,” Mr. Hussain said.

The BJP will take this issue to the people through agitation on the streets as well as raise it in Parliament.

“This government has nothing to do with the welfare of the ‘aam admi’ and is only concerned about votes. Since the UPA came to power in 2004, petrol prices have increased 19 times. In the last nine months the increase has been done nine times,” Mr. Hussain said.

Source: The Hindu 14th May 2011

BJP protest against petrol price hike

Riding cycles, cycle rickshaws and even bullock carts, a large number of Bharatiya Janata Party workers held a demonstration on Parliament Street here on Tuesday to protest against the rise in the prices of all essential commodities and the recent hike in petrol prices.

Led by Delhi BJP president Vijender Gupta, the protesters, who included eight MLAs, raised slogans against the ``anti-people’’ policies of the Congress-led Government at the Centre. After being addressed by the party leaders, the protesters moved towards Parliament. They broke through some of the police barricades and later courted arrest when the police used water canons to disperse them and prevented their further advance towards Parliament.

Earlier, addressing the protesters, Mr. Gupta charged that the Central Government was playing a ``double game’’ to demoralise the people. ``On the one hand the Group of Ministers is formed on paper to curb price spiral and on the other the Government is trying to deprive the common man of his bread by increasing the price of petrol by Rs.5.50 within a month.’’

''Nowhere in the world is the tax on oil so high as it is in India,'' he said, adding that here the Government recovers more tax than the price of oil’’. Mr. Gupta said if the UPA Government were to only abolish the customs duty from the price of oil and the Delhi Government reduces the local tax, the price of oil could in fact go down. ``But all the policies and schemes of this anti-people Government are against the common man and in favour of the corporate world,’’ he said.

Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly Vijay Kumar Malhotra said This Government is taking such steps in the name of curbing price spiral which are actually fuelling the price rise on a daily basis.’’

The other prominent leaders who participated in the protest included former Chief Minister Madan Lal Khurana, MLAs Jagdish Mukhi and Ramesh Bidhuri, former MLA Vijay Jolly and senior Delhi BJP leaders O.P. Kohli, Subhash Arya and Pawan Sharma.

The Hindu, 18th Jan 2011

BJP threatens gherao over land acquisition

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.

http://hindu.com/2010/12/11/stories/2010121162260700.htm

শান্তিতেই হিডকো অভিযান বিজেপি-র

"HIDCO GHERAO" BY BJP (PHOTO: BARTAMAN PATRIKA)

কোনও হাঙ্গামা ছাড়াই মিটে গেল বিজেপি-র হিডকো অভিযান। গত ৩০ সেপ্টেম্বর এবং ৩০ নভেম্বর যথাক্রমে ধর্মতলা এবং ফিয়ার্স লেনে বিজেপি-র বিক্ষোভ কর্মসূচিকে যে ভাবে হিংসাত্মক হয়ে উঠতে দেখা গিয়েছে, শুক্রবার নিউটাউনের হিডকো দফতরের অদূরে তার পুনরাবৃত্তি ঘটেনি।

রাজ্য রাজনীতিতে প্রাসঙ্গিক থাকার জন্যই বিধায়ক-শূন্য এই দল বর্তমানে হিংসাত্মক আন্দোলনের কৌশল নিয়েছে। কিন্তু এ দিন তাদের কর্মসূচি বিনা অশান্তিতে মিটে যাওয়ায় রাজনৈতিক শিবিরের একাংশ মনে করছে, বিজেপি সাময়িক ভাবে ওই কৌশল থেকে সরে দাঁড়াল। তবে অন্য অংশের ব্যাখ্যা, এ দিন নিউটাউনের যে এলাকায় বিজেপি-র কর্মসূচি ছিল, তা এতই নির্জন যে, সেখানে হাঙ্গামা বাধালে জনতার মধ্যে বিশেষ ‘প্রভাব’ পড়ত না। সেই কারণেই তারা এ দিন ওই রাস্তায় হাঁটেনি।

এ দিন বিজেপি-র বিক্ষোভ সমাবেশ ছিল রাজারহাটের জমি-কাণ্ড নিয়ে শ্বেতপত্র প্রকাশের দাবিতে। তাদের অভিযোগ, রাজারহাট- নিউটাউনে কৃষিজমি অধিগ্রহণ থেকে শুরু করে বিভিন্ন ফ্ল্যাট ও অন্যান্য প্রকল্প তৈরি পর্যন্ত গোটা প্রক্রিয়ায় সিপিএম এবং তৃণমূল সমান ভাবে জড়িত। এবং সে জন্যই তৃণমূল এত দিন রাজারহাট নিয়ে নিশ্চুপ ছিল। বিজেপি-র রাজ্য সভাপতি রাহুল সিংহ বলেন, “সিঙ্গুর-নন্দীগ্রাম আন্দোলনের পর ভোটে সাফল্য পেয়ে তৃণমূল নেত্রী বুঝেছেন, এ রাজ্যে জমি বিষয়টা ভাল চলছে। আর কেন্দ্রীয় সরকারের শরিক হয়ে মূল্যবৃদ্ধি বা তাদের একের পর এক কেলেঙ্কারি নিয়েও তাঁর পক্ষে কার্যকরী প্রতিবাদ করা সম্ভব নয়। তাই তিনি সদলে রাজারহাট-নিউটাউন জমি-কাণ্ড নিয়ে আন্দোলনের নাটক করছেন।” যার প্রতিবাদে রাহুল এ দিন তাঁদের সভা-সংলগ্ন একখণ্ড জমিতে গরু-লাঙল সহযোগে ‘প্রতীকী’ ধান চাষ করেছেন।

বস্তুত, সিঙ্গুর-নন্দীগ্রামের মতো রাজারহাট আন্দোলনের ফসলও তৃণমূল একাই ঘরে তুলুক, তা বিজেপি চায় না। ওই ফসলে ভাগ বসানোর উদ্দেশ্যেই তারা দু’টি কৌশল নিয়েছে। এক, রাজারহাটের জমিহারাদের প্রতি তাদের দরদই ‘আসল’ এবং বাকিদেরটা ‘নকল’—এটা দেখানো। দুই, রাজারহাট এবং সমগ্র জমি অধিগ্রহণ বিতর্কে মমতা বন্দ্যোপাধ্যায়ের বক্তব্যের ‘অসারতা’ প্রমাণ করা। যে কারণে এ দিন বিজেপি-র প্রাক্তন রাজ্য সভাপতি তথাগত রায় সিপিএমের চেয়ে তৃণমূলকেই বেশি বিঁধেছেন। তাঁর প্রথম প্রশ্ন, “অধিগৃহীত জমিতে বাড়ি তৈরি হয়ে গিয়েছে। মানুষ থাকতে শুরু করেছেন। এত দিন পরে তৃণমূল নেত্রী সরব হলেন কেন? তিনি কি চান, ওই বাড়িগুলি ভেঙে জমি অনিচ্ছুক কৃষকদের ফিরিয়ে দিতে?” এই প্রেক্ষিতেই তথাগতবাবু জানান, তাঁরা জমি অধিগ্রহণ বা নগরায়নের বিরোধী নন।

তাঁর কথায়, “ধরা যাক, কারখানা, রেলপথ বা রাস্তার জন্য এক লপ্তে কিছুটা জমি দরকার। জমি দিতে কেউ রাজি হলেন। কেউ হলেন না। সে ক্ষেত্রে অনিচ্ছুকদের অংশ বাঁচিয়ে কি সাপের মতো এঁকেবেঁকে কারখানা বা রেললাইন বা রাস্তা হবে?” মমতার প্রতি তথাগতবাবুর দ্বিতীয় এবং তৃতীয় কটাক্ষ, “জমিদাতারা ন্যায্য ক্ষতিপূরণ পাচ্ছেন না জমি অধিগ্রহণের পুরনো আইনের জন্য। আর সেই আইন সংশোধন আটকে আছে মমতার জন্য। তা ছাড়া, উনি ওঁর রেলে জমিদাতাদের চাকরি দিয়ে নজির গড়ুন না! সকলে না হয় ওঁকে দেখেই মডেলটা শিখবে!”
আনন্দবাজার পত্রিকা ২৫ অগ্রহায়ণ ১৪১৭ শনিবার ১১ ডিসেম্বর ২০১০

CPI(M), Trinamool involved in Rajarhat land scandal:Rahul Sinha

Kolkata, Dec 7 : Giving a twist to the CPI(M)-Trinamool Congress tussle over the allegation of Rajarhat land scam, the BJP today alleged that both the parties were involved in it.

But, in what could make the CPI(M) smile even facing the Opposition charge of corruption, West Bengal BJP president Rahul Sinha alleged that the reason the Trinamool was raising the issue for a movement was to divert the people's attention from its own 'misdeeds'.
''Not only has the ruling party forcibly captured land at Rajarhat. The Trinamool Congress was also involved in the scam,'' he alleged.
''Some of the Trinamool members have got land there. Now they are trying to divert the people's attention from the scandal,'' he said.
Now that the Singur-Nandigram issues have become things of the past, it was also an attempt of the Trinamool to kick up a new issue afresh, Mr Sinha charged.
Announcing a novel way to put the BJP in the political scene, at present seized with the imposing presence of the Trinamool, the main opposition in the state, and the ruling Left Front leader CPI(M), Mr Sinha also announced that its workers would cultivate paddy in 'Jyoti Basu Nagar', the Rajarhat township area on December 9 in protest against the 'land scam'.
Trinamool Congress Chief Mamata Banerjee has recently alleged that land for the Rajarhat township, coming up on the city's outskirts, had been acquired either forcibly or at throwaway prices, while HIDCO, a state-run nodal agency for the project, sold the developed land at exorbitant prices.
Alleging that numerous local people had been rendered homeless or without job, the Trinamool Congress also announced the decision to gherao HIDCO office on December 10.
The state government, however, denied all the allegations, saying it has all the documents of a transparent procedure which went by the rule.

--UNI

প্রাসঙ্গিক

ফরওয়ার্ড ব্লকের মহিলা সংগঠন অগ্রগামী মহিলা সমিতি-র সর্বভারতীয় সম্মেলন উপলক্ষে স্বাধীনতা সংগ্রামে মহিলাদের ভূমিকার উপরে প্রদর্শনী ধর্মতলায়। উদ্বোধনী অনুষ্ঠানে গিয়েছেন ফরওয়ার্ড ব্লকের দেবব্রত বিশ্বাস, অশোক ঘোষ। আচমকা পুলিশ এসে জানাল, বিজেপি-র একটি প্রতিবাদ মিছিল আপাতত এস এন ব্যানার্জি রোডে আছে। ধর্মতলায় মুখ্যমন্ত্রীর কুশপুতুল পোড়াতে আসছে তারা। আগের দিনই বিজেপি-র ‘মহাকরণ অবরোধে’ ব্যাপক হাঙ্গামা হয়েছে। পুলিশের এত্তেলা পাওয়া মাত্র গান-বাজনা-ফিতে কাটা ইত্যাদি দ্রুত শেষ করে অশোকবাবুদের গাড়িতে তুলে ফেরত পাঠানো হল। অনুষ্ঠানেও তুরন্ত যবনিকা! সাধে কি বিজেপি নেতারা বলছেন, রাজ্য রাজনীতিতে তাঁরা সাঙ্ঘাতিক‘প্রাসঙ্গিক’ হয়ে উঠেছেন!
আনন্দবাজার পত্রিকা, ২০ অগ্রহায়ণ ১৪১৭ সোমবার ৬ ডিসেম্বর ২০১০

WB State BJP chief Rahul Sinha called on chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee at Writers’ Buildings

Demanded DC (Central) Tripurari be either suspended or showcaused.

Kolkata: On Friday, state BJP chief Rahul Sinha actually admitted his partymen did hurl bricks, but went to the extent of justifying it by claiming it was done on provocation. “Swabhabik bhabei int porechhey. (Hurling of bricks is only natural). Why did policemen hurl bricks?” Sinha asked after he and three other BJP leaders, including Tapan Sikdar, called on chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee at Writers’ Buildings. The BJP demanded that DC (Central) Tripurari be either suspended or showcaused.
“It is preposterous and unheard of... that a state president and senior leaders of an all-India party should be charged with offences like ‘attempt to murder’ and ‘molestation of women’ and cases registered against them. This alone illustrates the viciousness and vengeful nature of a section of police personnel...” the letter to the CM reads.
Sinha even alleged that the entire disturbance had been planned and provoked by Tripurai. He even questioned how two bombs were hurled near Tea Board that day. “Police snapped the lines of microphones, they got into buses in which our supporters had come and beat them up,” Sinha said.
The BJP state chief claimed that there were no policewomen around, and as such, cases of molestation slapped against the party supporters would be illogical. On the contrary, he alleged that male cops had molested their female supporters.
Police, however, said BJP had come prepared at the rally to provoke a confrontation. Crude bombs and brickbats had apparently been brought in sacks. The first bomb explosion near Writers’ Buildings pushed police on the back foot, but they counter-attacked with tear gas and batons. As the violence grew, passersby got caught and more than 20 policemen, including top officers, were injured. The BJP claims 65 of its supporters were hurt. Sinha was among the 25 arrested.
TIMES NEWS NETWORK 4 December 2010

19 more BJP men held, party on protest mode

Kolkata: A day after the unprecedented violence in central Kolkata by BJP supporters, the party leadership threatened to launch more intensive movements in the city to revive their urban support base. 
To protest the arrest of 19 BJP supporters in connection with Tuesday’s violence, the party took out a rally from College Street. Supporters burnt an effigy of chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee at the Esplanade crossing on Wednesday afternoon. 
While BJP leaders have been trying to say that none of their supporters had hurled bombs and that the violence was a “conspiracy of police and CPM”, senior police officers claimed that BJP supporters were directly involved in the violence. “We have recovered two live bombs hidden beneath the dais. Our men had sustained burn injuries, which suggest that people from the rally had hurled bombs towards the cops,” said a senior police officer. 
Earlier on Tuesday, police had rounded up 433 BJP supporters for violating Section 144 CrPC. They were taken to Presidency jail and were released on bail in the evening. Senior BJP leaders were among these 433 persons. 
Apart from them, 19 more were arrested for specific causes, who were booked under stringent sections: 307 (attempt to murder), 326 (grievous hurt), 427 (mischief), 353 (assaulting government employees) and the Explosive Substances Act. 
All these 19 people were produced in court and remanded in five days’ police custody. 
In the recent past, it is for the first time that police has slapped such non-bailable stringent sections against any political activist for such violence during a political rally. “We have enough reasons to slap such sections,” said Jt CP (crime) Damayanti Sen. 
BJP leaders, however, branded the incident as a “conspiracy” against their party. They observed Wednesday as black day (kaala diwas). Wearing black badges, BJP activists took out a silent rally. “We have informed our senior leaders in Delhi about the incident. They are ready to come to Kolkata and we are planning a more intense movement,” said Rahul Sinha, state BJP president. 
Senior BJP leaders, however, hinted that Trinamool Congress will be their main target in the coming days, as the party has eroded the BJP’s staunch Hindu support base in the state.

TIMES OF INDIA (2 December 2010)

BJP activists clash with police in Kolkata

A Rapid Action Force jawan aims a stone at
BJP supporters during their ‘Mahakaran Abarodh'
in Kolkata on Tuesday.

Kolkata, Nov 30 (IANS) Police lobbed teargas shells and baton charged stone-pelting Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) activists Tuesday as the party's attempted blockade of the Writers' Buildings, the West Bengal state secretariat, turned violent.

Several policemen and BJP supporters were injured as the activists fought pitched battles with the security personnel, turning a part of central Kolkata into a virtual battlefield.

'Some BJP activists have been arrested. Suddenly some people turned violent and began throwing bombs and stones, many of which were targeted at policemen. Some policemen were also injured,' said Joint Commissioner of Police (Administration) Neeraj Kumar Singh.

Traffic movement came to a halt in the busy Brabourne Road and Bowbazar crossings in the commercial hub of the city due to the violence.

The trouble started as a large number of BJP activists, who had gathered at four points as part of the agitation, tried to proceed towards the secretariat by breaking barricades put up by police on Brabourne Raod close to the city police headquarters at Lalbazar.

As stones rained down on the police, they first tried to chase the workers away, then resorted to a heavy baton charge and finally lobbed teargas shells to bring the situation under control.

Many BJP workers were seen scuffling with the police, who finally managed to scatter them.

BJP state president Rahul Sinha, who was himself injured, described the police action as 'unprovoked'. 'Our agitation was completely peaceful. Suddenly police started baton charging, and bursting teargas shells. Over 100 of our supporters were injured, and 25 of them had to be hospitalised,' he said.

Sinha alleged that police 'resorted to violence' as they wanted to disperse the BJP workers before a scheduled rally of Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee later in the afternoon in a nearby area.

The blockade was organised to protest against rising unemployment, increase in electricity rates, escalation in prices of essential commodities, inclusion of Muslims in Other Backward Classes category and other issues.
Source: Sify News