Trinamool likely to move NGT against felling of 32 trees for Modi's rally at Thakurnagar
Kolkata: Trinamool Congress may soon move to the National Green Tribunal (NGT) against the felling of 32 full-grown trees at Thakurnagar in North 24-Parganas for organising the political rally of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 2.
The district Trinamool Congress has already lodged an FIR with Gaighata police station in this regard, said Jyotipriya Mallick during a counter rally organised by his party at the same venue where the Prime Minister had addressed a gathering.
"As many as 32 trees were cut down to make way for the PM's election rally. The trees were all 15-16 years old. We are preparing to register a case with NGT Kolkata. Felling of trees is no less a crime than killing a human being. We have already lodged a complaint with the police," said Mallick who is the district president of the party in North 24-Parganas, on Wednesday.
Senior Trinamool Congress leader Firhad Hakim, who also attended the programme, came down heavily on PM Modi, accusing him of resorting to divisive politics after his failure to deliver on the promises made by him during the previous Lok Sabha elections.
"Has the PM been able to generate the employment he had promised? It was complete baloney. He had promised that Rs 15 lakh would be credited to the bank accounts of the individuals. He failed to fulfill any of his assurances and no problems were resolved during his tenure," Hakim said. "When he realised that he has become politically bankrupt, the Prime Minister started trying to divide people along religious lines. He has been roaming across the country with a message of divisive politics," he added.
"He is hoping that he would win the hearts of Matuas by touching the feet of Matua matriarch Binapani Devi. A relationship cannot be built in one day. Trinamool Congress supremo and Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has been sharing a relationship with Matuas for the past two decades. She always stood by the Matuas and announced a package for their development. People will never forget the development work," said Hakim while addressing a rally.
He further added: "Modi has become scared after seeing the 'United India' rally organised by Banerjee in Kolkata, where various stalwart leaders from across the country have shared dais with her. He (Modi) knows if the Opposition parties put up a united fight in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections, he will be voted out of power. His legs are now trembling in fear as he will soon be called a 'former' PM."
Speaking on BJP's vindictive attitude, Hakim raised a series of questions: "Why is the CBI not arresting the CPI-M leaders who had not only helped the chit funds to thrive but also extorted money from them? Why has BJP's Babul Supriyo not been arrested yet who claimed himself to be a 'rose of the Rose Valley' group? Why has Himanta Biswa Sarma, a Congress turned BJP leader in Assam, been spared after grabbing a huge amount of money from a chit fund?"
