Development board for Namasudras ... gets Mamata's go-ahead
Community members said the Trinamul Congress could count on their support to take on the BJP in Assam in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls if the demand was met.
In Bengal, 98 per cent of namasudras are Matuas, who have traditionally supported Trinamul.
"We told the chief minister there are around 2.87 crore namasudras in Bengal. We requested her to constitute a development board for us. The board can help improve the socio-economic condition of our people as most of them are economically weak. The board can also work for the conservation of our culture," said Mukul Bairagya, the working president of the All India Namasudra Bikash Parishad.
He claimed that Mamata had assured the representatives that their demand would be met. "She told us that she would initiate steps to set up the board at a cabinet meeting on November 5," Bairagya said.
He alleged that namasudras had been kept out of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam. "We have launched protests on the issue and have also decided to field candidates in all 14 parliamentary seats in Assam," he said, adding that the nominees might contest on Trinamul tickets.
He claimed that Mamata had assured the representatives that their demand would be met. "She told us that she would take steps to set up the board at a cabinet meeting on November 5," Bairagya said.
He alleged that namasudras had been kept out of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam.
The namasudras made up 17.4 per cent of the Scheduled Caste population in Bengal according to the 2011 Census.
"We have launched protests on the issue and have also decided to field candidates in all 14 parliamentary seats in Assam," he said, adding that the nominees might contest on Trinamul tickets.
Sources said Trinamul's decision to woo the namasudras could yield dividends for the party in Assam. "If the Bengal government accepts the demand and forms a development board for the namasudras, it will help Trinamul get the overwhelming support of the Matuas, and the namasudras in general, both in Bengal and in Assam. Enough hints have been given by representatives of the Namasudra Bikash Parishad that they are ready to contest as Trinamul candidates," a source said.
On Thursday, an eight-member delegation of the Parishad separately met Bengal minister Firhad Hakim, who is also Trinamul's observer for Assam.
"They discussed Trina- mul's stand for the panchayat polls to be held in Assam," a source said.
At Uttarkanya, Mamata also held a meeting of the Tribal Advisory Council to take stock of its activities. Birsa Tirkey, the state president of the Akhil Bharatiya Adivasi Vikas Parishad who is a member of the council, submitted a charter of demands.
"We have sought a Hindi college at Kalchini (in Alipurduar) and women's colleges at Bagdogra (Darjeeling) and Nagrakata (Jalpaiguri). We have also told her that tea workers should be given land rights and that a minimum wage should be fixed for the tea industry. The chief minister said she would look into the demands," Tirkey said.
He claimed that Mamata had assured the representatives that their demand would be met. "She told us that she would take steps to set up the board at a cabinet meeting on November 5," Bairagya said.
He alleged that namasudras had been kept out of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam.
The namasudras made up 17.4 per cent of the Scheduled Caste population in Bengal according to the 2011 Census.
"We have launched protests on the issue and have also decided to field candidates in all 14 parliamentary seats in Assam," he said, adding that the nominees might contest on Trinamul tickets.
Sources said Trinamul's decision to woo the namasudras could yield dividends for the party in Assam. "If the Bengal government accepts the demand and forms a development board for the namasudras, it will help Trinamul get the overwhelming support of the Matuas, and the namasudras in general, both in Bengal and in Assam. Enough hints have been given by representatives of the Namasudra Bikash Parishad that they are ready to contest as Trinamul candidates," a source said.
On Thursday, an eight-member delegation of the Parishad separately met Bengal minister Firhad Hakim, who is also Trinamul's observer for Assam.
"They discussed Trina- mul's stand for the panchayat polls to be held in Assam," a source said.
At Uttarkanya, Mamata also held a meeting of the Tribal Advisory Council to take stock of its activities. Birsa Tirkey, the state president of the Akhil Bharatiya Adivasi Vikas Parishad who is a member of the council, submitted a charter of demands.
"We have sought a Hindi college at Kalchini (in Alipurduar) and women's colleges at Bagdogra (Darjeeling) and Nagrakata (Jalpaiguri). We have also told her that tea workers should be given land rights and that a minimum wage should be fixed for the tea industry. The chief minister said she would look into the demands," Tirkey said.
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