kolkata: BJP's Barrackpore MP Arjun Singh has extended support to the Trinamool Congress (TMC) in its stiff opposition to the Centre on the jute price cap. Singh said that he would strongly protest till Centre does not revoke the Rs 6,500 per quintal price cap on jute which according to him will affect 45 lakh jute industry workers in Bengal. He further made it clear that he would be present if Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee convenes a meeting on the matter.
"No matter whichever political party I belong to. It is the people who have elected me as an MP. How can I sit back and watch 14 jute mills getting closed with around 3 crore people hit by this draconian decision. If need be, I will stage protests. I completely endorse what Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had said on the issue. The Trinamool Congress should be more aggressive on this and I am ready to back them," Singh said.
Singh's parliamentary constituency, Barrackpore, has around 20 jute mills. He had sent a strong protest letter to Union textile minister Piyush Goyal on April 19. Earlier Banerjee too had flagged the issue before the Centre.
In a meeting held on Monday presided by Jute Commissioner Moloy Chandan Chakraborty, Singh threatened to take up a strong movement in the issue. He claimed to have met Goyal in Parliament and urged him to do the needful but no fruitful response has been elicited.