Kolkata, Oct 31 (IANS) Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) leader and former West Bengal land reforms minister Abdul Rezzak Mollah Monday met Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on the issue of the state’s agricultural land policy.
‘The meeting was positive. We have discussed a few issues. During my tenure as land reforms minister, I wanted to bring in an amendment that agricultural land cannot be used for any other purpose other than agricultural activities. I have given the draft of that amendment to the CM (chief minister), she has received it positively and has promised to look into the matter,’ Mollah told reporters after the meeting.
During his tenure as minister, Mollah had been the strongest critic of former chief minister Buddhadeb Bhhatacharjee’s industrial policies and land acquisition for industries.
One of the few heavyweights of CPI-M who has managed to win in the 2011 assembly polls, he said he had another request for the chief minister.
‘I have also requested her to look into the matter regarding the 83 people of my constituency who are out of their homes since assembly polls. I have also told her to see that all the farmers irrespective of their political identity get the opportunity to reap their crops,’ said Mollah, who is also a popular peasant leader of the state.
Mollah’s meeting with Banerjee has raised several questions in the political circles of the state as it was believed that he met Banerjee without any prior permission from the party.
Asked if he had taken the party’s permission to meet the chief minister, Mollah retorted: ‘What do you people think that do I need to take permission of the party for everything. Do I need to take permission of the party to father a child?’
The state leadership of the CPI-M, meanwhile, seemed unaware of Mollah’s meeting with Banerjee.
‘I am not aware of any such meeting. If an MLA (legislator) of our party wants to meet the chief minister, then there is no problem but if the meeting is based on any certain specific issue, then sometimes permission is needed,’ said Rabin Deb, CPI-M state secretariat member.
