Mamata defends ‘intelligent’ contribution to railways

She added: “The CPM is jealous that the railways are doing well and is therefore raising such issues. People like Saonli Mitra and Derek O Brian are qualified for the job. They are doing a great job for the Railways. Why should they not be there? I am proud of them.”

According to Banerjee,before this,the railway committees were defunct. “Money was wasted and the members did nothing but enjoy themselves. Now,these people are seriously working. They did not want to take money,but I insisted. They can make much more,but yet they have agreed to work for us,” she said.

Banerjee added that she believes that intellectuals and artistes should play a role in policy making. “They have much to give us,” she claimed.

Meanwhile,she negated Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharje’s claim that CPM supporters were attacked while on their way to his rally in East Midnapore. Bhattacharje has alleged that Trinamool supporters have vandalised 178 buses enroute to his rally venue. “Our supporters did nothing,they are not involved. Our party members did not show black flags to the chief minister. Maybe some other party has done it,” said Banerjee.

More sops for Bengal
The series of largesse from Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee for the Bengal continues unabated.

Banerjee,who has already rained a series of sops for the state,is going to lay the foundation stone for an automobile hub at Shalimar in Howrah on November 28. The next day,she will lay the foundation stone for Kisan Vision,a complex comprising a cold storage and markets for farmers in Singur in Hooghly district.

“The association of automobile manufactureers has requested the railways to create a facility so that motor cars can be sent from one place to another through railways. It will not only lessen the pollution but will also generate revenues for the railways,” Gautam Sanyal,Executive Director,Railways,told The Indian Express from Delhi.

There will be 12 such hubs in the country where cars will be kept for transportation. At Singur,close to the abandoned site of Tata Motors,

Banerjee will lay the foundation stone of Kisan Vision. The complex will be built on a three-acre land belonging to the railways.