“Even as we complete one year in office, I have a pain, a sadness in my mind — the Singur stalemate and the plight of the suffering farmers,” said West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee this afternoon while addressing the main programme to celebrate the first anniversary of the Trinamool Congress in the state.
“If any one asks what is my biggest dissatisfaction after a year in office, I will say it is the Singur farmers,” she said and went on to announce a relief scheme for farmers who are yet to back their land even after a prolonged struggle since 2006. She announced that such poor farmers will get Rs 1,000 each as relief grant every month and Rs 2 a kg rice for their families till the problem is sorted out. The local leaders have appealed to the government for such a scheme for such farmers, she said.
She explained that the Singur issue is now sub-judice. “We had acquired the land and the land is now vested with the government. But the case needs to be settled in the court of law before we can hand it back to the farmers.
“Apart from Singur it has been a story of smiles for the Darjeeling hills. The Junglemahal is smiling, too,” said Mamata Banerjee and went on to add emphatically: “We have conquered the wave. We have not got lost. We have survived.”
Winning the polls was one thing but to run the government under a virtual “financial emergency” was yet another great feat. “But we have done it. And we will do what we have promised,” said a beaming Chief Minister clad in what looked like a new designer black and white sari befitting the occasion.
The CM and the West Bengal Governor were flanked by the entire cabinet and central ministers and MPs from the Trinamool Congress.
The celebration was packaged as the “Festival of Progress” at the government fair ground off E M Bypass near Science City where government departments had set up pavilions and the Chief Minister went round some after the main function was over.
Speaking on the occasion, Mamata once again came down heavily on the 34-year Left rule in Bengal “during which all Bengali great personalities, from Rabindranath Tagore to Swami Vivekananda, from Kazi Nazrul Islam to Ramakrishna Praamhansa, were relegated to the background and forgotten”.
“The Trinamool Congress government has taken up the challenge to restore all these, the challenge to once again bring Bengal back to the path of growth and position of eminence and make it one of the leading states in India with development, reforms and restoration of confidence and self respect of the people in the state.
“Ever since I assumed office, I have not taken a day off. We are working together and we are committed to achieve prosperity and glory for Bengal ,” she said. She also released a book titled “Hope to Reality.”
Earlier, West Bengal Governor, the chief guest of the occasion, M K Narayanana described the occasion as “historic.” He said the state has a “dynamic leadership” under Mamata now and the government should be steadfast it achieving its goal of a “Sonar Bangla.” There have been promises of a “radiant future” in the past too, but Bengal ‘s tradition has suffered setback while democracy has been undermined in the past. He, therefore, warned that the action of the new government should not suffer in the same way.
He said the buzz word for the new government in Bengal has been “parivartan” and not “defeatism.” “Democracy is a combination of steps taken to galvanize development and progress,” he said and reminded “there are miles to go”. He, however, admitted that while perfection was elusive, a lot has been achieved by the new government.
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