TMC’s exit shakes up committes
24 Sep 2012 11:38 PM GMT
The Trinamool Congress's exit from the ruling United Progressive Alliance [UPA] has put question mark over the fate of committees constituted when that party held the railways portfolio.
When Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee joined the UPA in 2009 and took charge of the railway ministry, she constituted some committees and also inducted several intellectuals considered close to her into existing committees.
The committees were retained during the tenures of the next two railway ministers, who too were from the Trinamool Congress - Dinesh Trivedi and Mukul Roy.
Now that Banerjee and Trinamool have walked out of the UPA, some argue that the pro-Banerjee intellectuals must resign on moral grounds. The members of these official committees are entitled to many financial benefits.
'Why are they continuing when their benefactor [Banerjee] is gone? All these posts fall under 'office of profit' and they must immediately resign on moral grounds,' Congress parliamentarian Adhir Chowdhury said.
Banerjee's close aide and painter, Shuvaprasanna heads the Railways Passenger Amenities Committee, which has fellow painter Samir Aich, film director Haranath Chakrabarty and singer Pallab Kirtanya as members.
There are those who hold that committee membership is no political favour: 'These committees and their members are not a result of anybody's benevolence. The committees are constituted through gazette notification by parliament. And members are not affiliated to any political party,' Shuvaprasanna said.
When Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee joined the UPA in 2009 and took charge of the railway ministry, she constituted some committees and also inducted several intellectuals considered close to her into existing committees.
The committees were retained during the tenures of the next two railway ministers, who too were from the Trinamool Congress - Dinesh Trivedi and Mukul Roy.
Now that Banerjee and Trinamool have walked out of the UPA, some argue that the pro-Banerjee intellectuals must resign on moral grounds. The members of these official committees are entitled to many financial benefits.
'Why are they continuing when their benefactor [Banerjee] is gone? All these posts fall under 'office of profit' and they must immediately resign on moral grounds,' Congress parliamentarian Adhir Chowdhury said.
Banerjee's close aide and painter, Shuvaprasanna heads the Railways Passenger Amenities Committee, which has fellow painter Samir Aich, film director Haranath Chakrabarty and singer Pallab Kirtanya as members.
There are those who hold that committee membership is no political favour: 'These committees and their members are not a result of anybody's benevolence. The committees are constituted through gazette notification by parliament. And members are not affiliated to any political party,' Shuvaprasanna said.
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