Row over Siliguri Carnival: Opposition cries foul.... Milkha Singh to grace opening on Monday

EOI, SILIGURI, 14 Dec 2014: In the politically charged atmosphere in West Bengal, there is a row over the eagerly anticipated Siliguri Carnival. The grand opening of the seven-day event is scheduled on Monday but but the opposition parties have been crying foul about the extravaganza and terming the state government’s decision to hold the event as irresponsible and undemocratic while the Trinamool Congress have been busy promoting the event and cornering the credit for organizing it.

The carnival will have various performances by local and national celebrities, while various exhibitions and other attractions will also mark the festival. Organising committee sources said that the preperations for the carnival has ended, with the Kunchanjunga Stadium and Baga Jatin Park all decked up to host the event.

North Bengal Development Department Minister Gautam Deb informed that before the opening of the carnival, a cultural rally will be flagged off from the MBDD Ministry building, which will navigate through the heart of the city before ending at the Kunchanjunga Stadium. The rally will be graced by nation’s most admired athlete Milkha Singh and minister Firhad Hakim along with other noted people. Deb also informed that on the first evening of the carnival a tribute to famous singer Kishor Kumar will be given at the Kunchanjunga Stadium. “Kishor kumar’s sons Amit Kumar and Sumit Kumar will sing some of his famus songs as a tribute to the singing legend,” Deb added.

The carnival will end on December 21 and during the course of the even many renowned celebrities will perform at the two venues. The carnival will also showcase many local talents in various fields.

But, the CPM during the day questioned the state government on the carnival and threatened to knock the courts door against it. Speaking to reporters, CPM Darjeeling District convener and former minister Ashok Bhattacharya said the state government and the regional administration had no right to conduct such programmes, especially when the corporation election was just round the corner and in the absence of a Siliguri Municipal Corporation board.

“A new board formed after the election should have taken the decision to hold the event. The state government should have waited until the elections. This is a completely undemocratic and irresponsible decision taken by the government and we condemn it,” Bhattacharya stressed. He further said that the Trinamool-led government is trying to attract voters through the carnival before the election and that his party will go to the court against it. The CPM veteran also questioned on the funding of the carnival and demanded a complete report of the amount spent by the government.

Opposition parties such as Congress and the BJP alleged said that the objecive of the state government in holding the carnivalwas trying to keep the people’s focus away from the Sarada Chit Fund Scam case, where top political leaders including serving ministers have been arrested.

Joining the bandwagon against the issue was Darjeeling District MP SS Ahluwalia, who during the day released a Press statement condemning the state government about the current developments in the Sarada Scam case. Ahluwalia in his statement said that this is the first time in the state where a sitting minister and MPs of the ruling party were arrested in a case related to corruption. “The people of the state are now convined that the TMC is completelty involved in the scam where thousands of general public were looted. Two TMC MPs, one sitting minister and many top leaders are currently in jail, which is proof enough of the ruling party’s involvement in Sarada scam,” the MP stated.

Slamming the state government and the NBDD Ministry, Ahluwalia said, “The TMC knows that many other party leaders could still be sent to jail following the CBI inquiry. These are the reasons why the state government is organising the Siliguri Carnival or Uttar Banga Utsav. This is nothing but a plot to divert the people’s mind away from the current development in the Sarada Chit Fund Scam.” He further said thousands of people, including TG workers, daily wage workers, middle and lower class families had invested crores in the Sarada Chit Fund, while many top and lower level leaders from the TMC actively participated in promoting the company and made huge profits for themselves. “Now when the CBI investigations are indicting many top leaders in the case, the TMC is busy organizing festivals to divert the people’s mind away from the case,” he added.

The Darjeeling MP further said Siliguri was currently facing many issues, including failure of sewage system, crematorium issues, TG worker wage hike issue and many others. “Basic infrastructure such as roads, hospitals, streetlights and others are in a dismal state, while diseases including dengue, encephalitis and malaria are on a rise. The city also did not have enough parks, while the villages lack community halls and playgrounds for children. Similarly, crimes against women, murders, accidents and other petty crimes are also on a rise. The state government however is not concerned about such grave issues that affect the common people directly and are busy organising carnivals. They are only trying to increase their vote banks by neglecting serious curroption cases and basic developments,” Alhuwalia emphasised.

The MP also demanded the Siliguri Carnival organising committee to upload the details about the name of the members in the commuttee and other representatives in the official government website. “It is also an obligation of the state government provide the details of the funds used to organise the event and where the money came from. Apart from that, the people should also be informed about the celebrities invited to the event and the amount spent on them to perform and their accomodations,” Ahluwalia stated.

Reacting to scathing attacks from various opposition parties on the Siliguri Carnival, NBDD minister Gautam Deb said the carnival was being organised to promote local artistes and was for the people of Siliguri. He also completely denied that the ruling party has no political ambitions behind the carnival.

Reacting to CPM leader Ashok Bhattacharya’s statement on going to court against the carnival, Deb calmly said, “Each and every citizens of the country have their right to go to court. I have no objection to it.” He also did not react much to the Darjeeling District MP SS Ahluwalia’s comments on the carnival. Deb said that in accordance to Siliguri administration, Ahluwalia’s statement on the carnival has no significance. “The carnival is being organised by the state government and the Siliguri Municipal Corporation and it is for the benefit of the people of the city,” he added. HS