"You are in power. If I criticise you, is that a crime?"
"You are in power. If I criticise you, is that a crime?”Mamata Banerjee is courting yet another controversy.
Palash Biswas
Mobile: 919903717833
Skype ID: palash.biswas44
Email: palashbiswaskl@gmail.com
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is courting yet another controversy.
We Bengalies respect the cop for his literary activities for long. He is a muslim.And he wrote a book on the plight of muslims in West Bengal. The Chief Minister Ms Mamata Banerjee who reincarnated herself as the saviour of the minorities, has simply banned his book.IPS officer Nazrul Islam, published a book titled Mushalmander Ki Karaniya (What Muslims Should Do) where he spoke about the alleged plight of the Muslims in West Bengal and how the Trinamool Congress-led state government was resorting to double standards in the name of 'improving' their condition. On Saturday, Kolkata Police officials raided units of the publishing house and seized copies of the books.We are shocked as we had been while then left front government banned Taslima Nasrin.Another book by retired IAS officer Dipak Kumar Ghosh, released a few months ago, also spoke volumes on the 'grey areas' of the Trinamool chief and her party, its way of functioning, and other issues. That book has also been allegedly shelved by the state authorities.Nazrul is reputed for his objective prespective and Mamat should have been noted that the IPS officer, who was an ardent critic of the Left Front government, has penned down several books, a few of them criticising the role of the Marxists in controlling the police. He was censured by the Left Front government at that time and was allegedly denied promotions. The author received several literary awards and has also set up an engineering college at Domkol in Murshidabad district — his native place. According to reports, the author is planning to move court against the decision of the West Bengal government.
Islam's book - 'What Muslims Should Do' - reportedly criticises the West Bengal government for failing to improve the condition of Muslims in the state. Though the book has not been banned, a police team reportedly searched the offices of its publishers, Mitra and Ghosh, in North Kolkata's College Street on Saturday. The cops also allegedly closed the counter where the book was being sold.The enforcement branch of the Kolkata Police has raided a renowned publishing house's office and shop at College Street after it published a book 'Musalmander ki Karaniya' (What Muslims Should Do) written by senior police official Dr Nazrul Islam. The raid happened despite no official order being issued for it. Dr Islam, in his book, has indirectly criticised the Mamata government's minority appeasement policies and vote-bank politics including announcing stipends for Imams, and more madrasas.The publishers claim that the raids were done to intimidate them. The book, which was released a month ago, has been published by Kolkata-based publisher Mitra and Ghosh.
The incident has led to another outrage in the state with many slamming the government for its censorship policies.The intellectuals of the state have come out against the government’s move, calling it “draconian”. “We are shocked to know about the state government’s decision of banning the book,” said legendary filmmaker Mrinal Sen. Noted littérateur Sunil Gangopadhyay also minced no words to protest the government’s decision. “This cultural policing (by the government) should be condemned by everybody,’’ he said.
Author Sunil Ganguly told NDTV, "You are in power. If I criticise you, is that a crime?
Most unfortunate part of the story is that some of Bengal's 'pro-government' newspapers have blasted Islam in their reports published on Monday that the IPS officer was trying to incite communal violence in the state particularly when the Trinamool leader was trying to develop a 'secular' atmosphere in the state and was even extending 'help' to victims of Assam violence. The reports neither spared noted Bengali littérateur Sunil Gangopadhyay who slammed the government for its 'cultural policing'.
Ms Banerjee's government has been severely criticised for its alleged highhandedness in the past. A professor in Kolkata's Jadavpur University, Ambikesh Mahapatra, was arrested in April for circulating a cartoon lampooning the chief minister. He was also allegedly beaten up by workers from Ms Banerjee's party, Trinamool Congress.
Last month, a man named Shiladitya was arrested after he asked the Chief Minister a question at a public rally at Belpahari. Ms Banejee had reacted angrily to the question; pointing to him, she claimed he was a Maoist and ordered the police to arrest him.
When Mamata Banerjee became Railway Minister, she made him an official of the Railways in charge of safety. But after Trinamool Congress came to power in the state, Mamata made him an officer on Special duty in the Home Department, which he refused.Thereafter, Islam was made Additional Director General (Training) of West Bengal Police, a post he still holds.
Shubham Ghosh writes:It is true that people like Gangopadhyay had opposed Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen's book earlier and a speech on free press doesn't fit them well (Nasreen recently launched a scathing attack on Gangopadhyay), but then what change has Bengal really seen if the same totalitarian tendencies continue even after the Left's departure? This question must be addresed. What Paribortan Bengal boasts for?Shubham further asks: One of the Nazrul-bashing reports said the poor people could not be fed just by raising slogans of communal politics. My question is: "How the shallow slogan of Ma, Mati, Manush will satisfy needs of those several left without any development and basic opportunities of life?"The utility of slogans end with elections and Mamata Banerjee clear do not have the capacity to back it up with work on the ground. She, as Dipak Ghosh said in his book, knew how to befool ordinary people by using quotations of giants like Tagore, Vivekananda or Kazi Nazrul Islam in a way that those people who never read about them would indeed believe that it was Mamata who had invented such 'feel-good' words. Ghosh said Mamata had fully understood ways to attract common people through words only and the latter never bothered to wait for the leader to fulfil her promises at any point.
We are shocked to see the recent trend in West Bengal which confirms how the government is targetting individuals who are not agreeing to abide by its ways of functioning. We have seen a number of eminent people like Sunanda Sanyal, Kabir Suman, Mahasweta Devi, Sukanta Chaudhuri and now those from the ranks of bureaucracy, deciding to quit the 'dream project' that Mamata Banerjee had decided to set up on the soil of Bengal. They haven't decided to part their ways or criticise the current government for no reason.
CPI(M) on Monday castigated West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee for allegedly targeting a book by a senior IPS officer on the plight of Muslims in the state, charging it reflected her "fascist" and "intolerant" attitude.
"Such a move reflects her fascistic attitude,
an attitude of total intolerance. It is an anti-thesis of our democratic values," senior CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury alleged in New Delhi.
He alleged Banerjee had on several occasions earlier "shown such intolerance and taken blanket action and getting arrested a professor for onpassing a cartoon or a poor peasant for asking a question on fertiliser shortage, by branding them as Maoists."
Yechury also said "we understand that the writer (whose book was banned) is her sympathiser."
In the latest instance, the Mamata Banerjee-led government has banned IPS officer Nazrul Islam's book, titled 'Musalmander Ki Karaniya (What Muslims Should Do)' in which he has highlighted the plight of Muslims in West Bengal and discusses how to improve their lot.
The book has been brought out by a noted Kolkata-based publisher whose office premises, sales counter and godown were raided by the Enforcement Branch of Kolkata Police, a charge denied by Kolkata police.
When Banerjee was the railway minister, Islam was an official of the Railways in charge of safety. After Trinamool Congress came to power in the state, Islam was made Additional Director General (Training) of West Bengal Police, a post he now holds.
Times of India reports:
A 102-page book written by senior police official Nazrul Islam seems to have ruffled a few feathers in the state administration. The police, on Friday, allegedly raided the College Street shop of Mitra Ghosh, the publisher of the book — Musalman der Koroniyo — written by the senior IPS officer and additional director general of police (training).
The present owner of the publishing house Sabitendranath Roy alleged that a huge force of police reached the College Street premises of his shop, locked the sale counters and searched for the book. He also complained that police had asked him to discontinue its circulation a day before.
The book was released a week back and got good response. On Thursday night, an 80-year-old Roy received a call from the deputy commissioner of police (enforcement branch) asking him to stop selling the book.
In the book, Nazrul has advocated the need for secular education and criticized the state government for not doing much to help spread education among the Muslims. "Though a lot has been said about the new government being an agent of change, nothing much has changed," Nazrul said in the book. He has criticized the leaders in the new government for attending Iftaar parties without keeping the mandatory daytime fast. "The words inshallah and khuda hafiz cannot be said in the same sentence, but our leaders are doing so, without knowing that they are actually hurting Islam," the book reads.
Similarly, the state's plans to set up and regularize madrasas and its focus on Aligarh Muslim University have also come in for criticism . "What we needed was a secular university in Murshidabad. Similarly, why should money be spent for creating new madrasas instead of modern day schools?" the book says.
It may be noted that Nazrul fell out with the LF government at its fag end, when Mamata Banerjee gave him a senior position in the Railways. After Mamata came to the power in Bengal, she brought Nazrul back to the state.
The book seems to be making a reference to the chief minister, when it says that just by covering the head with a white cloth and reading namaz, one cannot do justice to the community. The book urges the Muslims to rise from their slumber and assess the situation they are in. It urges the Muslim population to protest some decisions by the state which are politically motivated.
"The police had no search warrant with them. We had already stopped the book's circulation and removed the copies from our College Street shop. We told them that the complimentary copies would be sent to them soon," said Indrani Roy, director of Mitra Ghosh.
The publisher also got in touch with the writer and sought help in his capacity as a top cop of the state. "We have also briefed our lawyer, Arunava Ghosh, on the issue. He has advised us to start selling it from Monday since there is no official ban on it," Indrani said, adding that the books will be on sale from Monday.
Debabrata Das, deputy commissioner (enforcement branch), Kolkata Police,denied the allegations. "I never told them to stop selling the book," said Das. He, however, confirmed that his officers bought five copies of the book from the publisher late on Friday. Sources, meanwhile, said Das and his team acted after getting instruction from the police chief.
Nazrul Islam declined to comment. He only said that being a government employee it won't be right for him to speak.
However, writers and intellectuals are rallying behind Nazrul and protesting the "ban". "Why should police take such a step. We are a democratic country where anyone is free to write anything. There are platforms that can be used for protests, but the police should not be used as a wing to suppress voices," said writer Abul Bashar. Muslim intellectual Azizul Haq said: "I have written on similar lines in the past and don't think that Nazrul has written anything that can elicit this kind of reaction. Only secular education can help Muslims. Why is this government giving special benefits only to imams and not to Hindu purohits? I will not be surprised if they talk about a Muslim blood banks next..."
"We are living in a free country. This episode reminds me of the dark days prior to the independence," said writer Sunil Gangopadhyay.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/Row-over-book-by-senior-Bengal-cop/articleshow/16227327.cms
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee warned her detractors and opponents not to play with fire by fomenting riots in the state.
Addressing the foundation day programme of the Trinamool Congress Chhatra Parishad onTuesday, Banerjee said she has information that "some people" opposed to her were trying to spark trouble in the state.
"I warn them. Don't play with fire. Don't try to start riots. I know who all are behind such conspiracies," said Banerjee, adding her opponents would not succeed in their "nefarious plans".
"We consider Hindus and Muslims as flowers from the same stalk. We care for both the communities equally," she added.
Days after she was criticised by Muslim leaders for having been silent on the riots in Assam, the chief minister said she has already drawn the attention of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to the issue.
"I have drawn the attention of the prime minister to the issue during my recent visit to Delhi for attending the UPA Coordination Committee meeting," she said, while adding that her government would shelter all those who are fleeing Assam.
The chief minister asserted that her party was prepared for mid-term polls anytime, but added that she wanted the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government to complete its full term.
Addressing media persons at the state secretariat, Writers' Building, to a query on chances of mid-term polls against the backdrop of the current political situation, she said "We don't want the UPA dispensation to fall.. we want it to complete its full term in office."
However, she said the party would assess the political situation if the situation drifted to the possibility of a mid-term poll.
Read more at: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/mamata-banerjee-cautions-her-detractors-opponents/1/215218.html
Full 15 months after she came to power, chief minister Mamata Banerjee visited West Bengal’s largest Muslim dominated Murshidabad district on 29th August 2012. She last time visited Murshidabad as Trinamul Congress chief on 20th April, 2010 for campaigning for the party. In her maiden visit as CM, Mamata announced a slew of welfare and development projects for the district.
She announced that an ITI for students and Kisan Mandi (farmers’ market) and cold storage for farmers will be set up in every block of Musrdidabad. Besides, she announced several other development projects for the district where a special centre of Aligarh Muslim University is also coming up.
Stronghold of Congress, Murshidabad was always far away from the eye of Mamata Banerjee since Parliamentary elections in 2009. But on the eve of three tier Panchayet election (due in 2013) Mamata is targeting the Muslim minds to attract them in favour of Trinamul Congress instead of Congress. Few days ago, in his Eid sermon at Eid Ul Fitr Maidan at Red Road Kolkata, Qari Fazlur Rahman had condemned Mamata for not seriously working for the development of Muslims. He, however, had admitted that she visited the Eid Maidan twice in 15 months of power while no Left Front CM visited the place even once in 34 years.
On behalf of Murshidabad administration a grand meeting was held in Baharampur Square Field on 29th August afternoon. Huge crowd gathered to hear Mamata Banerjee.
Mamata Banerjee allocated more funds to development of the district of Murshidabad and as well as minority welfare and declared 52 projects. Out of 52 Mamata inaugurated 17 projects and laid down foundation stone of 7 projects on that day.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said, Government has taken up 121 arsenic free water projects and will spend Rs 700 cr for this purpose. She inaugurated 17 arsenic free water supply projects in that day.
Not only fresh drinking water project, she also announced projects for health, education and road.
She said, the government has allocated Rs 127 Cr more for Minority Welfare. Some 23 Primary Schools, 118 secondary and Higher Secondary Schools will be set up. Recruitment process for 5794 teachers is going on in this district. She said 11 Model Schools will be built and one Primary teachers training college will be set up at East Kashipur of Bagwangola Block-1, the college will have hostel also. Three Multispecialty big hospitals will be built up at Sagardighi, Domkal and Jangipur.
Mamata said, the only Medical college in Murshidabad, the Baharampur State General Hospital will get Rs 16 cr for infrastructure development and 3 new sick newborn care units will be set up. A blood bank will also be setup at Domkal subdivisional Hospital.
Chief Minister of West Bengal laid foundation stone of a Bridge on the Falgu River at Suti Block-1, Skill development centre at Baharampur ITI campus, 50 bedded girls Hostel of Domkal Girls School and Amirabad High Madrasa both, Horticulture development Centre etc. But when she was delivering her speech on Aligarh Muslim University and saying that, the AMU campus has started, then electric power went off and the audience could not hear him. In fact, for a long time she remained silent on AMU campus issue while the protests for construction work were going on in Murshidabad and Kolkata.
Mamata expressed unhappiness on the poor condition of National Highway-34 & other roads. She allocated Rs 60 cr to development of the rural roads of Murshidabad. Mamata distributed honorarium among Imams and Muazzins, Scholarships & term loan among minority, SC/St students, Kishan Credit Card, Artijan Card, General Credit Card, Weavers credit card & health insurance etc.
Mamata called an administrative meeting at Rabindra Bhawan in Baharampur, Murshidabad on that day. OC of 19 Police Stations of Murshidabad and all the BDOs, SDOs and many other officials participated in that meeting. Mamata welcomed facts and problems to development of the district from the government district officials. She enquired about progress on all state and Central government projects. She patted good performing officers and snubbed the poor performers.
Ahead of the coming panchayat elections, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee embarked on a tour along with ministers and IAS officers to Congress dominated districts, triggering criticism from its ally and the CPI(M).
The five districts are Nadia, Malda, Murshidabad and North and South Dinajpur districts — a region that sent six Congress MPs to the Lok Sabha.
While Banerjee held meetings with officials of the districts in Nadia and Murshidabad today, her rally at Berhampore in Muslim-dominated Murshidabad district was marred by a chaotic situation after the failure of the public address system in the midst of her speech.
People who thronged the venue in thousands broke the barricade and hurled chairs to come close to the dias to hear Banerjee. Asking the crowd to remain calm, Banerjee stopped her speech as the public address system continued to remain non-functioning due to snapping of some wires.
Her first visit to the district after becoming chief minister is seen in Congress circles as an attempt to wean way voters from the Congress ahead of the panchayat polls slated for early next year.
Many state Congress leaders, specially those from Murshidabad district, are unhappy with chief minister's visit to the district today.
No Congress MLA was invited at her meeting with officials or at her rally and "It was not proper in democratic tradition", CLP leader Mohammed Shorab told PTI.
The chief minister laid foundation stones for many new roads in the district and distributed Kishan Credit Cards.
She said two lakh such cards would be distributed during her five-district tour. She announced that Rs 700 crore has been allocated for 121 drinking water projects in Murshidabad of which foundation stones of 17 were laid today.
Later at a press conference, Banerjee said she had asked the police and district officials to check problems like trafficking of women and drugs and circulation of fake currency notes in the border district.
Of the total 22 Assembly seats in Murshidabad district, the Congress had won 14 during last year's Assembly elections. Trinamool Congress had won just one seat from the district. Now Trinamool is trying to strengthen its base in the district before the panchayat elections.
Adhir Chowdhury, the Behrapore Congress MP and a known critic of Banerjee, said, "I wanted to meet her and talk about projects that would have helped the people of Murshidabad. But I have not been invited. So we have put up posters to inform her what the people want."
The wish list includes setting up of a jute industry, development of tourism centres, an agricultural university, upgradation of Behrampore Municipality to a corporation, a railway component manufacturing unit, new tracks and better train services.
The chief minister announced 17 arsenic-free underground drinking water supply projects, a college for teachers' training, a skill development centre, schools, hostels, roads and bridges, apart from state schemes.
CPI(M) leader Suryakanta Mishra raised charges of 'wasteful expenditure' during Banerjee's district tours which had yielded 'nothing worthwhile'.
Palash Biswas
Mobile: 919903717833
Skype ID: palash.biswas44
Email: palashbiswaskl@gmail.com
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is courting yet another controversy.
We Bengalies respect the cop for his literary activities for long. He is a muslim.And he wrote a book on the plight of muslims in West Bengal. The Chief Minister Ms Mamata Banerjee who reincarnated herself as the saviour of the minorities, has simply banned his book.IPS officer Nazrul Islam, published a book titled Mushalmander Ki Karaniya (What Muslims Should Do) where he spoke about the alleged plight of the Muslims in West Bengal and how the Trinamool Congress-led state government was resorting to double standards in the name of 'improving' their condition. On Saturday, Kolkata Police officials raided units of the publishing house and seized copies of the books.We are shocked as we had been while then left front government banned Taslima Nasrin.Another book by retired IAS officer Dipak Kumar Ghosh, released a few months ago, also spoke volumes on the 'grey areas' of the Trinamool chief and her party, its way of functioning, and other issues. That book has also been allegedly shelved by the state authorities.Nazrul is reputed for his objective prespective and Mamat should have been noted that the IPS officer, who was an ardent critic of the Left Front government, has penned down several books, a few of them criticising the role of the Marxists in controlling the police. He was censured by the Left Front government at that time and was allegedly denied promotions. The author received several literary awards and has also set up an engineering college at Domkol in Murshidabad district — his native place. According to reports, the author is planning to move court against the decision of the West Bengal government.
Islam's book - 'What Muslims Should Do' - reportedly criticises the West Bengal government for failing to improve the condition of Muslims in the state. Though the book has not been banned, a police team reportedly searched the offices of its publishers, Mitra and Ghosh, in North Kolkata's College Street on Saturday. The cops also allegedly closed the counter where the book was being sold.The enforcement branch of the Kolkata Police has raided a renowned publishing house's office and shop at College Street after it published a book 'Musalmander ki Karaniya' (What Muslims Should Do) written by senior police official Dr Nazrul Islam. The raid happened despite no official order being issued for it. Dr Islam, in his book, has indirectly criticised the Mamata government's minority appeasement policies and vote-bank politics including announcing stipends for Imams, and more madrasas.The publishers claim that the raids were done to intimidate them. The book, which was released a month ago, has been published by Kolkata-based publisher Mitra and Ghosh.
The incident has led to another outrage in the state with many slamming the government for its censorship policies.The intellectuals of the state have come out against the government’s move, calling it “draconian”. “We are shocked to know about the state government’s decision of banning the book,” said legendary filmmaker Mrinal Sen. Noted littérateur Sunil Gangopadhyay also minced no words to protest the government’s decision. “This cultural policing (by the government) should be condemned by everybody,’’ he said.
Author Sunil Ganguly told NDTV, "You are in power. If I criticise you, is that a crime?
Most unfortunate part of the story is that some of Bengal's 'pro-government' newspapers have blasted Islam in their reports published on Monday that the IPS officer was trying to incite communal violence in the state particularly when the Trinamool leader was trying to develop a 'secular' atmosphere in the state and was even extending 'help' to victims of Assam violence. The reports neither spared noted Bengali littérateur Sunil Gangopadhyay who slammed the government for its 'cultural policing'.
Ms Banerjee's government has been severely criticised for its alleged highhandedness in the past. A professor in Kolkata's Jadavpur University, Ambikesh Mahapatra, was arrested in April for circulating a cartoon lampooning the chief minister. He was also allegedly beaten up by workers from Ms Banerjee's party, Trinamool Congress.
Last month, a man named Shiladitya was arrested after he asked the Chief Minister a question at a public rally at Belpahari. Ms Banejee had reacted angrily to the question; pointing to him, she claimed he was a Maoist and ordered the police to arrest him.
When Mamata Banerjee became Railway Minister, she made him an official of the Railways in charge of safety. But after Trinamool Congress came to power in the state, Mamata made him an officer on Special duty in the Home Department, which he refused.Thereafter, Islam was made Additional Director General (Training) of West Bengal Police, a post he still holds.
Shubham Ghosh writes:It is true that people like Gangopadhyay had opposed Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen's book earlier and a speech on free press doesn't fit them well (Nasreen recently launched a scathing attack on Gangopadhyay), but then what change has Bengal really seen if the same totalitarian tendencies continue even after the Left's departure? This question must be addresed. What Paribortan Bengal boasts for?Shubham further asks: One of the Nazrul-bashing reports said the poor people could not be fed just by raising slogans of communal politics. My question is: "How the shallow slogan of Ma, Mati, Manush will satisfy needs of those several left without any development and basic opportunities of life?"The utility of slogans end with elections and Mamata Banerjee clear do not have the capacity to back it up with work on the ground. She, as Dipak Ghosh said in his book, knew how to befool ordinary people by using quotations of giants like Tagore, Vivekananda or Kazi Nazrul Islam in a way that those people who never read about them would indeed believe that it was Mamata who had invented such 'feel-good' words. Ghosh said Mamata had fully understood ways to attract common people through words only and the latter never bothered to wait for the leader to fulfil her promises at any point.
We are shocked to see the recent trend in West Bengal which confirms how the government is targetting individuals who are not agreeing to abide by its ways of functioning. We have seen a number of eminent people like Sunanda Sanyal, Kabir Suman, Mahasweta Devi, Sukanta Chaudhuri and now those from the ranks of bureaucracy, deciding to quit the 'dream project' that Mamata Banerjee had decided to set up on the soil of Bengal. They haven't decided to part their ways or criticise the current government for no reason.
CPI(M) on Monday castigated West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee for allegedly targeting a book by a senior IPS officer on the plight of Muslims in the state, charging it reflected her "fascist" and "intolerant" attitude.
"Such a move reflects her fascistic attitude,
an attitude of total intolerance. It is an anti-thesis of our democratic values," senior CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury alleged in New Delhi.
He alleged Banerjee had on several occasions earlier "shown such intolerance and taken blanket action and getting arrested a professor for onpassing a cartoon or a poor peasant for asking a question on fertiliser shortage, by branding them as Maoists."
Yechury also said "we understand that the writer (whose book was banned) is her sympathiser."
In the latest instance, the Mamata Banerjee-led government has banned IPS officer Nazrul Islam's book, titled 'Musalmander Ki Karaniya (What Muslims Should Do)' in which he has highlighted the plight of Muslims in West Bengal and discusses how to improve their lot.
The book has been brought out by a noted Kolkata-based publisher whose office premises, sales counter and godown were raided by the Enforcement Branch of Kolkata Police, a charge denied by Kolkata police.
When Banerjee was the railway minister, Islam was an official of the Railways in charge of safety. After Trinamool Congress came to power in the state, Islam was made Additional Director General (Training) of West Bengal Police, a post he now holds.
Times of India reports:
A 102-page book written by senior police official Nazrul Islam seems to have ruffled a few feathers in the state administration. The police, on Friday, allegedly raided the College Street shop of Mitra Ghosh, the publisher of the book — Musalman der Koroniyo — written by the senior IPS officer and additional director general of police (training).
The present owner of the publishing house Sabitendranath Roy alleged that a huge force of police reached the College Street premises of his shop, locked the sale counters and searched for the book. He also complained that police had asked him to discontinue its circulation a day before.
The book was released a week back and got good response. On Thursday night, an 80-year-old Roy received a call from the deputy commissioner of police (enforcement branch) asking him to stop selling the book.
In the book, Nazrul has advocated the need for secular education and criticized the state government for not doing much to help spread education among the Muslims. "Though a lot has been said about the new government being an agent of change, nothing much has changed," Nazrul said in the book. He has criticized the leaders in the new government for attending Iftaar parties without keeping the mandatory daytime fast. "The words inshallah and khuda hafiz cannot be said in the same sentence, but our leaders are doing so, without knowing that they are actually hurting Islam," the book reads.
Similarly, the state's plans to set up and regularize madrasas and its focus on Aligarh Muslim University have also come in for criticism . "What we needed was a secular university in Murshidabad. Similarly, why should money be spent for creating new madrasas instead of modern day schools?" the book says.
It may be noted that Nazrul fell out with the LF government at its fag end, when Mamata Banerjee gave him a senior position in the Railways. After Mamata came to the power in Bengal, she brought Nazrul back to the state.
The book seems to be making a reference to the chief minister, when it says that just by covering the head with a white cloth and reading namaz, one cannot do justice to the community. The book urges the Muslims to rise from their slumber and assess the situation they are in. It urges the Muslim population to protest some decisions by the state which are politically motivated.
"The police had no search warrant with them. We had already stopped the book's circulation and removed the copies from our College Street shop. We told them that the complimentary copies would be sent to them soon," said Indrani Roy, director of Mitra Ghosh.
The publisher also got in touch with the writer and sought help in his capacity as a top cop of the state. "We have also briefed our lawyer, Arunava Ghosh, on the issue. He has advised us to start selling it from Monday since there is no official ban on it," Indrani said, adding that the books will be on sale from Monday.
Debabrata Das, deputy commissioner (enforcement branch), Kolkata Police,denied the allegations. "I never told them to stop selling the book," said Das. He, however, confirmed that his officers bought five copies of the book from the publisher late on Friday. Sources, meanwhile, said Das and his team acted after getting instruction from the police chief.
Nazrul Islam declined to comment. He only said that being a government employee it won't be right for him to speak.
However, writers and intellectuals are rallying behind Nazrul and protesting the "ban". "Why should police take such a step. We are a democratic country where anyone is free to write anything. There are platforms that can be used for protests, but the police should not be used as a wing to suppress voices," said writer Abul Bashar. Muslim intellectual Azizul Haq said: "I have written on similar lines in the past and don't think that Nazrul has written anything that can elicit this kind of reaction. Only secular education can help Muslims. Why is this government giving special benefits only to imams and not to Hindu purohits? I will not be surprised if they talk about a Muslim blood banks next..."
"We are living in a free country. This episode reminds me of the dark days prior to the independence," said writer Sunil Gangopadhyay.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/Row-over-book-by-senior-Bengal-cop/articleshow/16227327.cms
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee warned her detractors and opponents not to play with fire by fomenting riots in the state.
Addressing the foundation day programme of the Trinamool Congress Chhatra Parishad onTuesday, Banerjee said she has information that "some people" opposed to her were trying to spark trouble in the state.
"I warn them. Don't play with fire. Don't try to start riots. I know who all are behind such conspiracies," said Banerjee, adding her opponents would not succeed in their "nefarious plans".
"We consider Hindus and Muslims as flowers from the same stalk. We care for both the communities equally," she added.
Days after she was criticised by Muslim leaders for having been silent on the riots in Assam, the chief minister said she has already drawn the attention of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to the issue.
"I have drawn the attention of the prime minister to the issue during my recent visit to Delhi for attending the UPA Coordination Committee meeting," she said, while adding that her government would shelter all those who are fleeing Assam.
The chief minister asserted that her party was prepared for mid-term polls anytime, but added that she wanted the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government to complete its full term.
Addressing media persons at the state secretariat, Writers' Building, to a query on chances of mid-term polls against the backdrop of the current political situation, she said "We don't want the UPA dispensation to fall.. we want it to complete its full term in office."
However, she said the party would assess the political situation if the situation drifted to the possibility of a mid-term poll.
Read more at: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/mamata-banerjee-cautions-her-detractors-opponents/1/215218.html
Full 15 months after she came to power, chief minister Mamata Banerjee visited West Bengal’s largest Muslim dominated Murshidabad district on 29th August 2012. She last time visited Murshidabad as Trinamul Congress chief on 20th April, 2010 for campaigning for the party. In her maiden visit as CM, Mamata announced a slew of welfare and development projects for the district.
She announced that an ITI for students and Kisan Mandi (farmers’ market) and cold storage for farmers will be set up in every block of Musrdidabad. Besides, she announced several other development projects for the district where a special centre of Aligarh Muslim University is also coming up.
Stronghold of Congress, Murshidabad was always far away from the eye of Mamata Banerjee since Parliamentary elections in 2009. But on the eve of three tier Panchayet election (due in 2013) Mamata is targeting the Muslim minds to attract them in favour of Trinamul Congress instead of Congress. Few days ago, in his Eid sermon at Eid Ul Fitr Maidan at Red Road Kolkata, Qari Fazlur Rahman had condemned Mamata for not seriously working for the development of Muslims. He, however, had admitted that she visited the Eid Maidan twice in 15 months of power while no Left Front CM visited the place even once in 34 years.
On behalf of Murshidabad administration a grand meeting was held in Baharampur Square Field on 29th August afternoon. Huge crowd gathered to hear Mamata Banerjee.
Mamata Banerjee allocated more funds to development of the district of Murshidabad and as well as minority welfare and declared 52 projects. Out of 52 Mamata inaugurated 17 projects and laid down foundation stone of 7 projects on that day.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said, Government has taken up 121 arsenic free water projects and will spend Rs 700 cr for this purpose. She inaugurated 17 arsenic free water supply projects in that day.
Not only fresh drinking water project, she also announced projects for health, education and road.
She said, the government has allocated Rs 127 Cr more for Minority Welfare. Some 23 Primary Schools, 118 secondary and Higher Secondary Schools will be set up. Recruitment process for 5794 teachers is going on in this district. She said 11 Model Schools will be built and one Primary teachers training college will be set up at East Kashipur of Bagwangola Block-1, the college will have hostel also. Three Multispecialty big hospitals will be built up at Sagardighi, Domkal and Jangipur.
Mamata said, the only Medical college in Murshidabad, the Baharampur State General Hospital will get Rs 16 cr for infrastructure development and 3 new sick newborn care units will be set up. A blood bank will also be setup at Domkal subdivisional Hospital.
Chief Minister of West Bengal laid foundation stone of a Bridge on the Falgu River at Suti Block-1, Skill development centre at Baharampur ITI campus, 50 bedded girls Hostel of Domkal Girls School and Amirabad High Madrasa both, Horticulture development Centre etc. But when she was delivering her speech on Aligarh Muslim University and saying that, the AMU campus has started, then electric power went off and the audience could not hear him. In fact, for a long time she remained silent on AMU campus issue while the protests for construction work were going on in Murshidabad and Kolkata.
Mamata expressed unhappiness on the poor condition of National Highway-34 & other roads. She allocated Rs 60 cr to development of the rural roads of Murshidabad. Mamata distributed honorarium among Imams and Muazzins, Scholarships & term loan among minority, SC/St students, Kishan Credit Card, Artijan Card, General Credit Card, Weavers credit card & health insurance etc.
Mamata called an administrative meeting at Rabindra Bhawan in Baharampur, Murshidabad on that day. OC of 19 Police Stations of Murshidabad and all the BDOs, SDOs and many other officials participated in that meeting. Mamata welcomed facts and problems to development of the district from the government district officials. She enquired about progress on all state and Central government projects. She patted good performing officers and snubbed the poor performers.
Ahead of the coming panchayat elections, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee embarked on a tour along with ministers and IAS officers to Congress dominated districts, triggering criticism from its ally and the CPI(M).
The five districts are Nadia, Malda, Murshidabad and North and South Dinajpur districts — a region that sent six Congress MPs to the Lok Sabha.
While Banerjee held meetings with officials of the districts in Nadia and Murshidabad today, her rally at Berhampore in Muslim-dominated Murshidabad district was marred by a chaotic situation after the failure of the public address system in the midst of her speech.
People who thronged the venue in thousands broke the barricade and hurled chairs to come close to the dias to hear Banerjee. Asking the crowd to remain calm, Banerjee stopped her speech as the public address system continued to remain non-functioning due to snapping of some wires.
Her first visit to the district after becoming chief minister is seen in Congress circles as an attempt to wean way voters from the Congress ahead of the panchayat polls slated for early next year.
Many state Congress leaders, specially those from Murshidabad district, are unhappy with chief minister's visit to the district today.
No Congress MLA was invited at her meeting with officials or at her rally and "It was not proper in democratic tradition", CLP leader Mohammed Shorab told PTI.
The chief minister laid foundation stones for many new roads in the district and distributed Kishan Credit Cards.
She said two lakh such cards would be distributed during her five-district tour. She announced that Rs 700 crore has been allocated for 121 drinking water projects in Murshidabad of which foundation stones of 17 were laid today.
Later at a press conference, Banerjee said she had asked the police and district officials to check problems like trafficking of women and drugs and circulation of fake currency notes in the border district.
Of the total 22 Assembly seats in Murshidabad district, the Congress had won 14 during last year's Assembly elections. Trinamool Congress had won just one seat from the district. Now Trinamool is trying to strengthen its base in the district before the panchayat elections.
Adhir Chowdhury, the Behrapore Congress MP and a known critic of Banerjee, said, "I wanted to meet her and talk about projects that would have helped the people of Murshidabad. But I have not been invited. So we have put up posters to inform her what the people want."
The wish list includes setting up of a jute industry, development of tourism centres, an agricultural university, upgradation of Behrampore Municipality to a corporation, a railway component manufacturing unit, new tracks and better train services.
The chief minister announced 17 arsenic-free underground drinking water supply projects, a college for teachers' training, a skill development centre, schools, hostels, roads and bridges, apart from state schemes.
CPI(M) leader Suryakanta Mishra raised charges of 'wasteful expenditure' during Banerjee's district tours which had yielded 'nothing worthwhile'.
Emancipation of Muslims a myth?
Express news service
Posted: Feb 05, 2012 at 0316 hrs IST
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Kolkata A literary compilation called “Udar Akash” (Open Sky) - in a special issue titled “In search of Dignity” and released in the Kolkata Book Fair has raised questions about the sincerity of successive governments in West Bengal about the emancipation of Muslims.
The compilation contains a series of essays by well known authors, including the rebel IPS officer, Nazrul Islam and a host of other intellectuals such as Sunanda Sanyal, Dr. Miratoon Nahar, Dr. Sheikh Maqbul Islam and Faruq Ahmed who have been critical of “vote bank politics” of successive governments in West Bengal with the Muslim community.
The real progress and development have eluded the community in the past and it continues to be same at present, several noted authors opine.
The outspoken IPS officer, Nazrul Islam in a write up about what should be done for the upliftment of Muslims has stated the community does not need job reservation because it does not have adequate number of qualified students to avail of such reservations. Illiteracy continues to dog a number of Muslims.
He therefore pitched for reservations for Muslims students in reputed educational institutions so that the community members could avail of the reservation facility in jobs.
In trying to portray the plight of the Muslims in positions of power and authority, he cited examples of how in the last Left Front cabinet in West Bengal out of 43 ministers had only 5 Muslims, constituting only about 11.6 per cent of the total, while Muslims in the state have constituted about 25.25 per cent.
In the same ministry, Brahmins occupied 15 berths, constituting 34.9 per cent though the Brahmins constitute only 2 per cent of the population in West Bengal.
Similarly, in the Trinamool Congress, of the 44 ministers, only 8 are Muslims, constituting less than 18 per cent of the population.
http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/emancipation-of-muslims-a-myth/908135/
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