Trinamul’s Birbhum chief Anubrata Mondal on Friday tried to woo the tribal populace living on the proposed Deocha-Pachami coal mine area where some have started resisting the idea of shifting for the sake of the project.
At a public meeting, Mondal assured people that chief minister Mamata Banerjee would not deprive anyone displaced by the project of the promised rehabilitation benefits.
“No one will be deprived from the benefits of the proposed coal mine project. Mamata Banerjee has said that the project will benefit the people and she will never deprive anyone. Mamata Banerjee never makes false promises and does what she says,” Mondal said at a rally in Sheorakuri of Mohammedbazar.
Trinamul leaders the meeting was necessary as leaders of Opposition parties and a few social organisations were reaching out to villagers at loggerheads over the coal mine project.
Trinamul insiders said the party’s rally was significant when many people were openly protesting against the proposed relocation. Many were unsure if they would at all get the government’s rehabilitation package, including government jobs.
“I was asked what would happen to three brothers of a family on the same stretch of land (after vacating from the land). I said… all three will get separate houses. The coal mine will yield a lakh of jobs and Mohammedbazar will turn into a golden zone,” Mondal said.
“Opposition parties and groups of outsiders are trying to mislead the tribal people and egging them on to launch protests to save their land. That’s why some people are doubting the government’s intentions. Friday’s rally was very important to send a clear message to the people of Deocha-Pachami that the state government’s goal is to help the people benefit from the coal mine,” said Malay Mukherjee, a Trinamul vice-president in Birbhum.
Trinamul insiders said the main resistance to vacate land was coming from women in the 18-odd tribal hamlets in Deocha-Pachami. The party plans to invite the chief minister to a rally here to clear their doubts. “Don’t forget, our chief minister launched Lakshmir Bhandar….She won’t deprive you. She will talk to you when she comes,” said Mondal.
On Friday, a team of CPM leaders headed by former MLA Sujan Chakraborty and party’s central committee member Ram Chandra Dom visited Deocha-Pachami to speak to people who don’t want to vacate their land.
While the CPM delegation headed for Deocha-Pachami, Trinamul workers put up a blockade and showed black flag near Pachchanpur village of Mohammedbazar. However, CPM team moved past the protesters and visited the villages.
“We spoke to a section of people who don’t want the coal mine and said they would remain united in their opposition to the project. Trinamul shouts when governments run by the BJP or others grab tribal land in states like Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. But when a similar loot is being planned here (Deocha-Pachami), it is trying to stifle the voices of the people,” Sujan Chakrabarty said.
In the backdrop of the Deocha-Pachami project, Chakraborty questioned the “secret meeting” recently between Mamata and industrialist Gautam Adani, known for his closeness to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Speaking to the Left delegation, a tribal woman in Harisingha village questioned why tribal lives are always attacked in the name of development.
"The government only finds coal where we tribals live. Why don't they explore other areas," she said.
