The Left Front kicked of its parliamentary election campaign in West Bengal with a massive rally at the brigade parade ground in the heart of Calcutta on 8th Feb’09. The meeting was well attended by over 12 lakh people inside the ground and another 3-4 lakhs waiting outside within 3 kilometers of the ground, as they could not reach the venue because of large number of stranded vehicles due to jamming. People brimmed over to the nearby Casurina Avenue, Red Road, Jawaharlal Neharu Road, Outrm Road around brigade parade ground. It was a historic gathering comparable only to Indira-Mujib meeting in 1972 just after liberation of Bangladesh.
It was red and red and red all along, the red flags of CPM, Forward Blocks, RSP, and CPI all over the field and outside. Various colorful tabloids were star attraction. Presence of large number of Hindi speaking people was another exception this time. Your reporter covered the meeting for the first time. The festoons of Mechua Mutia Mazdoor Union of Barabazar area in Calcutta were instantaneous attraction for their size and color.
Biman Bose, the chairman of left front started the proceedings and various speakers of left front partners addressed the people stressing the need of Unity in the face of combined assault of the opposition parties backed by extremist, ultra left, divisive forces of North Bengal, conspiring to break up Bengal.
The star campaigner was however the Chief Minister Budhhadev Bhattachaya, who was greeted with thunderous applause whenever he attacked the opposition and expressed resolve to go ahead with the Industrialization of Bengal.
The CM said that as people of Nandigram did not wanted industry there, we immediately assured them that no industry would be set up there. But in spite of our assurance, the opposition played havoc with Nandigram for a full year. But now when the government is relocating the chemical hub in Nayachar, (which is an island without any population), the opposition leader is opposing that too on the fake ground of environmental problems. The CM asked that why then there are so many chemical hubs and factories in Gujrat, Maharastra and other states. He said, the Central government has given permission for Nayachar after environmental clearance. Our own experts have given the environmental clearance. Are they all fools, he asked? Opposition wants to stall the progress of Bengal as they feel if Industry comes up in Bengal they (Opposition) will vanish, he added. He said not only Chemical hub and Tata Nano, the opposition is trying to block Power plant at Katowa and even are opposing land take over for roads. He categorically declared that land will not be returned in Singur and other Industry will be set up there.
He said that there is a deep conspiracy to break Bengal into pieces. On one hand the opposition in conjunction with the extremists is fueling the demand of separate states of Gorkhaland, Kamtapuri and Greater Koch Bihar, in the North Bengal, they (opposition) in connivance with the Maoist are fomenting troubles in Lalgarh thereby helping the Maoist and Jharkhandis to take away three districts (West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia) from Bengal. Chhatradhar Mahato of Trinomul has a brother with the Maoist who is allowing a safe passage to Mamata in Lalgarh, he said.
Citing Data, he thundered that we have advanced in agriculture, fishing, and vegetable production. We have advance in education and now we would also be advancing in Industry and nobody can stop the progress of Bengal. Younger generation who are passing out of various educational institutions are looking to us and we need industry for them.
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