CM to visit Hills on day of tripartite meeting

SNS, Siliguri, 15 October 2013: In a significant development loaded with political import for the restive Hills, Chief minister Miss Mamata Banerjee is all set to address her party men in Darjeeling on 23 October ~ the day the tripartite meeting on the Hill crisis is slated in Delhi. 

According to Trinamul Congress insiders, the chief minister would make clear her government’s stance vis-à-vis the Hill crisis during the rally. 

She is scheduled to arrive in Siliguri on 22 October and is likely to attend an administrative meeting that day, before leaving thereafter for the Hills. 

The Darjeeling district Hill Trinamul Congress (DDHTC) spokesperson, Mr Binny Sharma, said their leader would give a clarion call for development. 

“Miss Banerjee would address our unit’s convention on that day. “A new committee would be constituted to infuse fresh blood to gear the party up at the grass roots for the challenges lying ahead,” he added. 

The party’s general secretary, Mr Mukul Roy, and some cabinet ministers would accompany the chief minister, he said. 

“We are for reviving the rural representative bodies that have remained defunct for years. “Panchayat polls are a must in view of the rural areas of the Hills remaining stuck in stagnation,” Mr Sharma said. 

The DDHTC has also demanded that government employees associated with the gram panchayats and panchayat samitis should be transferred to other areas to stop corrupt practices involving the rural development funds. 

“Corruption has eaten its way in deep and most of the employees are neck deep in grafts. Funds are being looted with impunity in connivance with GJMM,” the DDHTC spokesperson added.