The Hindu : National : Lok Sabha urges Mamata to end fast

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Thursday, Dec 14, 2006
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Lok Sabha urges Mamata to end fast

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: The Lok Sabha on Wednesday appealed to the Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee to call off her hunger strike.

"We appeal to her to end her hunger strike, though she can continue with her protest," Speaker Somnath Chatterjee said when the matter was raised during zero hour by Bharatiya Janata Party member Kharabela Swain, who wanted the Centre to intervene in the land acquisition issue.

Refusing to allow any State-specific matter to be raised, Mr. Chatterjee said he had appealed to her through a letter and hoped that she would pay heed to her colleagues' appeal. "We are concerned about her health and well-being," he said.

However, the Left members objected to raising the matter in the House, resulting in a spat between them and the BJP.

Amid protests from the Left members, Mr. Swain said the State Government should move the small car project to some barren land than the fertile one at Singur.

Mr. Swain also wanted the State Government to enter into a dialogue with the Trinamool Congress leader. Left members alleged that the member was not aware of the situation on the ground and he should desist from raising a State matter.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Priyaranjan Dasmunsi requested West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee to consider taking some steps that would open the way for a dialogue to end Ms. Banerjee's fast.

Mr. Dasmunsi said he took the initiative after Trinamool MP Dinesh Trivedi contacted him. Mr. Dasmunsi talked on telephone to the Chief Minister and suggested that he withdraw cases against those agitating on the Singur issue, that he withdraw Section 144 imposed in the area and "suspend" the fencing of the acquired land in Singur. He did not indicate what the Chief Minister's response was.

He pointed out that he had already stated his own opposition to the project for a variety of reasons. In many cases land had been sold by the original owners, but the new owners had not got it transferred in their name. The result was that compensation had been paid to the original owners, who had thus benefited twice over, leaving the current owners high and dry. Sharecroppers had also not been given due compensation. Besides, there were many other reasons for which the Singur project should not go ahead.

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