The notification from the Rajarhat Block Development office on the upcoming panchayat elections to be held in parts of New Town has led to a division of opinion among residents but the political parties seem to be on the same page. They all want the election to take place. Members of Trinamul Congress, BJP and Left Front shared the stage on Sunday at a mass convention organised by the New Town Citizen’ Welfare Fraternity in CF Block in Action Area 1 and argued in favour of holding the election.
Here are excerpts from their arguments:
Mohd Aftabuddin
Rajarhat Panchayat Samity Karmadhyaksha
This area is already under the panchayat. This is not a new development.
The area where this convention is being held (CF Block) is part of the Mohisgote mouza. For long, this was under the Mahisbathan-2 gram panchayat. There was some raised land on which some settlements existed. A large part of the Mahisbathan panchayat area got inducted in a ward of the Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation.
The rest of the Mahisgot mouza got included in the Jyangra Hatiara no 2 gram panchayat through a notification in 2017. Many residents here took part in the panchayat election in 2018. Perhaps there were far less number of residents in those days in New Town and neither was there so much hue and cry. There were 10 booths in New Town from which two panchayat members got elected. Many of you are not aware that this area already has a panchayat representative. Yes, it is true that perhaps panchayat is incapable of offering facilities to such a developed township with huge buildings. So who will offer these services? There is NKDA which is doing the job. But not having a local elected body has its share of problems. True there is the MLA and the MP. Suppose one needs an inheritance certificate after a parent's death. The MLA or the MP is serving a large area so reaching them might be difficult. The panchayat offers these services though it may not offer other civic services to New Town. Now with more names getting added to the voter list, the number of panchayat members has risen from 25 to 30. Accordingly, New Town too has seen a rise -- from 10 to 12 booths and from two to eight representatives. Yes, we too want a municipal corporation.
But the number of voters needed to form a Corporation is not there. Barely 13,000 voters are on the list. In future, when the numbers are there surely a Corporation can be formed. But for now, elected representatives are needed as officials are not accountable to people.
Bhaskar Roy
Contested unsuccessfully in the last Assembly election in Rajarhat New Town constituency
It appears as if panchayet ey vote dile matha hnet hoye jachchhe! No way.
We will pay high taxes. Who will collect it? Who will decide on how the allotted funds are spent? We have to participate in the election, each of us, as we need our elected representatives. Let the elected representatives decide, for instance, how many battery-run cycles would be bought which are now being dumped behind Home Town.
What is the need for cosmetic development? There is so much illumination all around us, construction worth lakhs in tender! Cycle tracks have been built but in many areas they have been taken over by hawker shanties. Though hawkers at the New Town bus stand are still there, those in the street in front of the NKDA market have been evicted. Of course, one can't occupy any place but their livelihood depends on it. So they need to be rehabilitated in one place. It can't be that you keep some and evict some.
The system should be such that both the original residents of Rajarhat and those of us who have settled here from elsewhere enjoy the fruits of development together. The original residents are working in houses of the newcomers. There are so many English-medium schools here but where will these original settlers go? Pranabananda High School in Jatragachhi, for instance, also needs attention. There are so many learned people in New Town. Rajarhat too needs the light of education.
My suggestion is to give added area status to the adjacent areas around Rajarhat so that they too get the same facilities as New Town. We have to bring about equity. Let New Town and Rajarhat prosper together.
In the area under 115 Rajarhat New Town Assembly constituency, if 11 wards of Rajarhat can be under the Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation, can't one or two wards be carved out from here (to join the panchayat)?
The new voter list should be out on January 6. We want development of the fringe areas too.
Saptarshi Deb
Contested unsuccessfully in the last Assembly election in Rajarhat New Town constituency and son of Gautam Deb, housing minister in whose time New Town was conceived.
This is not the first time the three parties are on the same stage. All parties came together for the birth of New Town. How much longer will this township be run by a development authority? We are not getting into what kind of job they are doing. The question is who are they accountable to. Not to the people.
Is the future of New Town a panchayat? No. Do we want to establish panchayeti raj here? No. Our party is demanding an urban self-governing institution that will manage the Hidco-acquired land. But over a lakh voters stay here. Our laws will not allow the formation of a Corporation.
NKDA will exist till an urban self-governing elected institution is formed. NKDA will merge with it once it is formed.
This vote is not a matter of panchayat representation. It is the people’s representation. See this election as first step of democracy. It is being said that outsiders will contest if elections are held here. Our party has decided that if there is election, we will not field outsiders. If we cannot field a candidate in one booth, we will not take part there. Each election is a political battle. We will fight it.
If three political parties have come together on the stage at this convention, it means we are worried about these eight seats, not who wins or loses. We want to ensure local self-governance. Just as we have responsibility towards New Town, so should residents who live in New Town 365 days but go to Kasba or Harinavi to vote. Those who are shouting so much on social media, are they voters here?
This mindset that we stay in New Town so why should we vote in a panchayat, this is an elitist mindset. Are people of panchayat areas a bit short? And those in municipal areas a bit taller? And Corporation areas the tallest? What is importance is democracy. There is no point in boycotting election. Go to high court if you have to. Block the election. At least that would be a concrete decision. But what is happening is spread of confusion.
Should a Smart City have panchayat representation? Write to saltlake@abp.in