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Friday, Sep 09, 2005

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National

Delimitation Commission meet disrupted again

Special Correspondent

Public not given due hearing, allege Trinamool Congress activists

VOICING CONCERN: Trinamool activists staging a demonstration outside an auditorium hosting a hearing of the Delimitation Commission in Kolkata on Thursday. — Photo: SUSHANTA PATRONOBISH

KOLKATA: Public hearings on the proposed delimitation of Assembly and Lok Sabha constituencies in West Bengal by the Delimitation Commission ran into rough weather with the third and final round of sittings to consider suggestions and objections to the draft proposals being called off shortly after it commenced here on Thursday amid unruly scenes by activists of the Trinamool Congress, the main Opposition party in the State.

Elections to the West Bengal Assembly are due next year. "The hearing is closed," chairman of the Commission, Justice (retd), Kuldip Singh, said before leaving the venue in a huff.

Trinamool workers led by party leader Mamata Banerjee disrupted the previous two rounds of hearing — in Siliguri on Monday and in Durgapur on Wednesday. They protested that the Commission was not giving adequate opportunity to the public to be heard.

The Commission "expressed its deep anguish at this unfortunate incident," secretary of the Commission, Shangara Ram, said in a statement, referring to the events earlier in the day.

Immediately after proceedings started some workers "of a political party rushed near the dais and shouted slogans... Attempts were made to stop proceedings by throwing water bottles at members and officials of the Commission seated on the dais... it was clear that they [the demonstrators] were bent on stopping the proceedings," the statement said.

In the circumstances, an orderly conduct of the sitting was not possible and the chairman was constrained to announce closure of the hearings, Mr. Ram said. "Further course of action for West Bengal will be deliberated upon by the Commission and appropriate action will be taken."

Security arrangements were tight outside the venue of the hearing with the police taking no chances in the wake of Wednesday's violence in Durgapur. The police there burst tear gas shells and lathicharged an irate mob of Trinamool supporters trying to enter the premises where the hearing was on. Trinamool leaders, including Ms. Banerjee vowed that similar protests would be held in Kolkata. At least eleven police personnel were hurt in the violence.

The first round of hearings in Siliguri also led to demonstrations by Ms. Banerjee and her supporters. Without mentioning the party the Commission later expressed unhappiness over how representatives of a "particular political party" disrupted the proceedings.

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