Mamata warns syndicates, councillors: Will clip wings

KOLKATA: Note-e noi, vote-e thakun (stick to votes, not minting money) -with these tough words Mamata Banerjee pulled up her party councillors -even singling out those from Bidhannagar-Rajarhat Municipal Corporation and Dum Dum -at a meeting in Netaji Indoor Stadium on Friday . It's her strongest condemnation yet of the syndicate extortion menace that certain powerful sections are trying to turn into a legitimate business.
The admission of the bitter home truth and the stern warning are enough indication that Mamata has taken note of the diminishing victory margins in Kolkata and its surroundings despite her massive victory in the 2016 assembly polls.Bidhannagar mayor Sabyasa chi Dutta made himself conspicuous by staying away from the meeting where his councillors came in for a dressing down.At the end of the meeting, Mamata asked for a list of the absentees. “They will have to explain why they didn't turn up. I don't ask for money from councillors (to run the party). I can demand an explanation. I will not allow indiscipline,“ the CM said.
“Syndicate korar somoy mone thake na, sara rajya to syndicate kora sikheche apnader theke. Kajer belai nei. Dengue hobe keno? Jhogra hobe keno? (It's you who gave shape to the syndicate business. The entire state came to know about this business from you. You are reluctant to work for the people. Why does your locality have so many dengue cases? Why is there so much bickering?) Make Bidhannagar a model and work for the people,“ Banerjee cautioned. Pointing to the good work done by Howrah Municipal Corporation, led by mayor Rathin Chakraborty , the CM said: “Rathin is doing good work though there are some bad elements in Howrah. Take care of them or else strong action will be taken.“
Never has a CM exposed her own flock as Banerjee did on Friday , indicating that many more would meet the plight of Salt Lake councillor Anindya Chatterjee, who is now in jail on extortion charges. “I know everything. I don't want to name them. There are two councillors of Dum Dum Municipality who asked for Rs 30 lakh from some people. Decide whether you will stay in vote or in note. A councillor (read Anindya Chatterjee) is already in jail. I shall clip the wings of others if needed,“ the CM warned. While blasting the party councillors, Mamata didn't spare a section of Trinamool leaders who has been pulling the strings. Turning to Bidhannagar deputy mayor Tapas Chatterjee and chairperson Krishna Chakraborty , Mamata said, “Consult Dola (Sen), Sabyasachi (Dutta), Sujit (Bose) and work together. I shall not allow anyone to do anything against the people.“
Complaints against supply syndicates and the resultant street fights between Trinamool ganglords have been reaching the party supremo for quite some time. Bidhannagar mayor Sabyasachi Dutta had publicly acknowledged the presence of syndicates but denied any coercion. Before the assembly polls, police had rounded up several dreaded syndicate operators though their political patrons remained at large.
Later, at another programme, the CM lauded Kolkata Police. “We may criticise police on one or two instances, where officials are at fault, but we must also keep in mind that these people work on the streets round the year to make our festive days secure and happy ,“ she said. Calling Kolkata the safest city in the country , Mamata said that of the 9.2 crore population of Bengal, a handful might have suffered owing to a law-and-order situation which was beyond the control of the police.
“The nature of crime has changed. Unlike the old days, crime is no more only physical. The advent of cyber crime has greatly increased the boundaries of crime. At present a tweet can spark a riot and a blog can start a fire. But there is no doubt that Kolkata is the safest city in the world and officials of Kolkata Police are the most efficient in the country,“ she said.
Neta's Rs 345 crore transaction under lens
The income-tax department is probing allegations against an elected representative in Bengal for carrying out a transaction worth Rs 345 crore.Chief commissioner of income-tax (eastern region) A K Singh said this at a seminar organized by the eastern India regional council of the Institute of Cost & Works Accountants of India (ICWAI). In Bengal, the IT department is examining nearly 7 lakh transactions of Rs 2 lakh and above that were carried out in 2008-09 without quoting PAN.