Mamata Banerjee

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Mamata Banerjee
মমতা বন্দ্যোপাধ্যায়
Portrait of Mamata Banerjee
Incumbent
Assumed office 
May 22, 2009
Preceded by Lalu Prasad Yadav
Born 5 January 1955 (1955-01-05) (age 54)
Kolkata, West Bengal
Nationality Indian
Political party AITC
Spouse(s) Unmarried
Residence New Delhi, India (official)
30B, Harish Chatterjee Street, Kolkata, West Bengal (private)
Alma mater Calcutta University (B.Ed. / M.A.)
Jogesh Chandra Choudhury College of Law (LL.B.)
Profession Advocate
Social Worker
Religion Hindu
Website Mamata Banerjee

Mamata Banerjee (Bengali: মমতা বন্দ্যোপাধ্যায়, born 5 January 1955) is an Indian politician from the state of West Bengal and current Railway Minister of India. She is the founder and chief executive of the Trinamool Congress ("Grassroots Congress") political party. Mamata Banerjee is widely regarded as "Didi" (Bengali word meaning "Elder Sister") in West Bengal. She is noted for her opposition to Special Economic Zones and industrialization in West Bengal at the cost of agriculturalists and laborers.

Contents

[edit] Early life and education

She was born on January 5, 1955 in Hazra, Kolkata, West Bengal. She has remained a spinster throughout her life. She attended Calcutta University studying Arts and attaining bachelor's and master's degrees. Her B.Ed. was done from the Sikshayatan College, Calcutta and M.A. from the University of Calcutta respectively. Later, she completed LL.B. from the Jogesh Chandra Choudhury College of Law, Kolkata.

[edit] Political Career with Congress

She started her political career with Congress(I), and as a young woman in the 1970s, she quickly rose in the ranks of the local Congress group, and remained the General Secretary of Mahila Congress (I), West Bengal, from 1976 to 1980 [1]. In the 1984 general election, she became one of India's youngest parliamentarians ever, beating veteran Communist politician Somnath Chatterjee, from the Jadavpur parliamentary Constituency in West Bengal. She also became the General-Secretary of the All India Youth Congress. Losing her seat in 1989 in an anti-Congress wave, she was back in 1991 general elections, having settled into the Calcutta South constituency. She retained the Kolkata South seat in the 1996, 1998, 1999, 2004 and 2009 general elections.

In the Rao government formed in 1991, Mamata Banerjee was made the Union Minister of State for Human Resources Development, Youth Affairs and Sports, and Women and Child Development. As the sports minister, she announced that she would resign, and protested in a rally at the Brigade Parade Ground in Kolkata, against Government's indifference towards her proposal to improve sports in the country.[2] She was discharged of her portfolios in 1993. In April 1996, she alleged that Congress was behaving as a stooge of the CPI-M in West Bengal. She claimed that she was the lone voice of protest and wanted a "clean Congress". At a public rally at Alipore in Kolkata, Mamata Banerjee wrapped a black shawl around her neck and threatened to make a noose with it.[3] In July 1996, she squatted at the well of Lok Sabha to protest against the hike in petroleum price, though she was a part of the Government. In that very time she clasped the coller of Amar singh, MP of Samajwadi Party, in the well of the parliament. In February 1997, on the day of railway budget presentation in Lok Sabha, Mamata Banerjee threw her shawl at the railway minister Ram Vilas Paswan for ignoring West Bengal and announced her resignation. The speaker, P. A. Sangma, did not accept her resignation and asked her to apologize. Later she came back as Santosh Mohan Deb mediated.

[edit] Trinamool Congress

Flag of Trinamool Congress

In 1997, Mamata Banerjee split the Congress Party in West Bengal and established the All India Trinamool Congress. It quickly became the primary opposition to the long-standing Communist government in the state. On December 11, 1998, she controversially held a Samajwadi Party MP, Daroga Prasad Saroj, by the collar and dragged him out of the well of the Lok Sabha to prevent him from protesting against the Women's Reservation bill[4].

In 1999, she joined the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government and was allocated the Railways Ministry.

[edit] As Railway Minister During First Tenure

In 2000, Mamata Banerjee presented her first Railway Budget. In it she fulfilled many of her promises to her home state West Bengal.[5] She introduced a new biweekly New Delhi-Sealdah Rajdhani Express train and four express trains connecting various parts of West Bengal, namely the Howrah-Purulia Express, Sealdah-New Jalpaiguri Express, Shalimar-Bankura Express and the Sealdah-Amritsar Superfast Express (weekly).[5] She also increased the frequency of the Pune-Howrah Azad Hind Express and extension of at least three express train services. Work on the Digha-Howrah Express service also hastened during her brief tenure.[6].

She also focussed on developing tourism, enabling the Darjeeling-Himalayan section with two additional locomotives and proposing the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Limited. She also commented that India should play a pivotal role in the Trans-Asian Railway and that rail links between Bangladesh and Nepal would be reintroduced. In all, she introduced 19 new trains for the 2000–2001 fiscal year.[6]

[edit] After differences with NDA

In early 2001, after making allegations against the BJP, she walked out of the NDA cabinet and allied with the Congress Party for West Bengal's 2001 elections, amidst speculation that the move could unseat the Communist government. She returned to the cabinet in January 2004, holding the Ministry of Coal and Mines portfolios until the 2004 Elections, in which she was the only Trinamool Congress member to win a Parliament seat from West Bengal.

On October 20, 2005, she protested against the industrialization policy of the Buddhadev Bhattacharya government in West Bengal. Benny Santoso, CEO of the Indonesia-based Salim Group had pledged a large investment to West Bengal, and the West Bengal government had given him farmland in Howrah, sparking protest. Despite soaking rain, Mamata and other Trinamool Congress members stood in front of the Taj Hotel where Santoso had arrived, shut out by the police. Later, she and supporters followed Santoso's convoy. A planned "black flag" protest was avoided, when the government had Santoso arrive 3 hours ahead of schedule[7][8].

Mamata Banerjee suffered further setbacks in 2005, when her party lost control of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation and the sitting Mayor defected from her party. In 2006, the Trinamool Congress was defeated in West Bengal's Assembly Elections, losing more than half of its sitting members.

On August 4, 2006, she hurled her resignation paper at the deputy speaker Charanjit Singh Atwal in Lok Sabha. The provocation was the speaker's (Somnath Catterjee) rejection of her adjournment motion on illegal infiltration by Bangladeshi's in West Bengal. The motion was turned down by the speaker on the ground that it was not in proper format[9][10].

In November 2006, Mamata Banerjee was forcibly stopped on her way to Singur for a rally against a proposed Tata Motors car project. Mamata reached the West Bengal assembly and protested at the venue. She addressed a press conference at the assembly and announced a 12-hour shutdown by her party on Friday.[11]. The Trinamul Congress MLAs protested by damaging furniture and microphones in the West Bengal Assembly. The damage was estimated at Rs 15 lakh[12]. They also took to the streets and blocked roads and torched vehicles in many places[11] A major strike was called on December 14, 2006 that threw life out of gear in West Bengal, Kerala and Tripura.

Now in parliament election 2009 where TMC was with alliance with UPA and people of WestBengal acted majorly against the Left front and elected Congress-TMC alliance in 26 seats, which made Mamata Banerjee again the Indian Railway Minister for next 5 years.

[edit] Nandigram

Main article: Nandigram violence

The West Bengal government wanted to start a chemical hub in the Nandigram area for employment generation. The Haldia Development authority headed by Mr. Laxman Seth hosted a notice giving the idea of land acquisition in Nandigram.[13][14]. Trinamool Congres started a blockade. The Chief minister said the notice to be torned off.[15] On the 14 the march the cops stared firing and killed 14 villagers, when cops were sent to remove the blockade of around 6 months by mamata banarjee's violent movement there. Her party agitated local people to stand against authority.[16] Many common people were homeless due to this political carnage.[17] A large number of Intellectuals protested on the streets and this incident gave birth of a new movement to ouster the left from government headed by the CPIM.[18], [19][20].Mamata Banerjee wrote letters to the Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil to stop the violence allegedly promoted by CPI-M in Nandigram.[21][22][23]. Agitation in Nandiram still prevails. Mamata Banerjee gained a huge political benefit from all this.[24]

[edit] Victory in 2009 Indian Parliamentary Election

Trinamool congress performed well in the 2009 parliamentary election, bagging 19 MP seats, among them 5 women (including her), reiterating her faith in the Women's Reservation Bill. It’s allies Congress and SUCI also got 6 and 1 MP seats respectively. This is the best performance by any opposition party in West Bengal since the start of the left regime. Till date the congress victory of 16 seats in 1984, by the sympathy vote after the death of Mrs. Indira Gandhi, was considered the best opposition show.

[edit] As Railway Minister During Second Tenure

In 2009, Mamata Banerjee became Railway Minister for the second time. After becoming railway minister for the second time, Mamata Banerjee declared many new initiatives in the Railway Budget 2009. She decided to develop about 50 stations as world class stations with international level facilities. These will be developed, through innovative financing and in Public Private Partnership mode. Besides, she also declared railway’s decision to develop more 375 stations as Adarsh(Ideal) Stations. She also announced the construction of Multi-functional Complexes in station premises for providing rail users facilities like shopping, food stalls and restaurants, book stalls, PCO/STD/ISD/Fax booths, medicine & variety stores, budget hotels, underground parking etc. She announced that this complexes will be built in Public-Private Partnership. Besides, she also decided to set up Scholarships for higher education of girl children of group D staff for promoting their economic independence.She proposed to open seven Nursing Colleges on Railway land.[25] She also introduced some new concept of Trains like “Duranta”, “Yuva” in budget. Now “Duranta” is the fastest train service in India.[26] To relieve women passengers during rush hour,Mamata started Ladies Special Train on July 19 between Bandel and Howrah.[27] Later, some more Ladies Special has been introduced by her, e.g.Kalyani-Sealdah, Panvel-Mumabi CST.[28]

Mamata Banerjee flagged off the Duronto Express – a non-stop train, fastest train of India between Sealdah and New Delhi on September 18.[29] Super fast Duronto Express train between Chennai and New Delhi was introduced on September 21. She also took steps to spread railway in terror hit regions of Kashmir. Anantnag-Qadigund Railway line was inaugurated in October.[30]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Mamta Banerjee Profile incredible-people.com.
  2. ^ "Mamata mum on relations with BJP". 2003-01-06. http://www.tribuneindia.com/2003/20030107/nation.htm#1. Retrieved 2006-12-02. 
  3. ^ Ashis Chakrabarti (November 8, 1998). "Theatrics of a Bengal tigress". The Indian Express. http://www.indianexpress.com/res/web/pIe/ie/daily/19981108/31250764.html. Retrieved 2007-11-12. 
  4. ^ "National Events in December 1998". The Hindu. http://www.hinduonnet.com/revents/01/19980112.htm. Retrieved 2007-11-12. 
  5. ^ a b "New trains for West Bengal". The Tribune. February 26, 2000. http://www.tribuneindia.com/2000/20000226/main2.htm#4. Retrieved 2007-11-12. 
  6. ^ a b "Railways to focus on tourism, trans-Asian role, hardselling freight services". Rediff.com. February 25, 2000. http://www.rediff.com/business/2000/feb/25rail2.htm. Retrieved 2007-11-12. 
  7. ^ "Weather plays spoilsport for TMC". 2005-10-21. http://www.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/oct212005/national18114720051020.asp. Retrieved 2006-12-02. 
  8. ^ "Missing on bandh day: its champions -- Mamata stays indoors, Cong scarce". 2006-10-10. http://www.telegraphindia.com/1061010/asp/bengal/story_6851157.asp. Retrieved 2006-12-02. 
  9. ^ "Mamata Banerjee's unending tantrums". 2005-08-08. http://www.hindu.com/2005/08/08/stories/2005080804081000.htm. Retrieved 2006-12-02. 
  10. ^ "Mamata casts shame at House Paper throw at Speaker". 2005-08-04. http://www.telegraphindia.com/1050805/asp/frontpage/story_5077148.asp. Retrieved 2006-12-02. 
  11. ^ a b "Trinamool unleashes violence in W Bengal". 2006-11-30. http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_1856399,000900030001.htm. Retrieved 2006-12-02. 
  12. ^ "Heritage vandalised in Bengal House". 2006-12-02. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/NEWS/India/Heritage_vandalised_in_Bengal_House/articleshow/678018.cms. Retrieved 2006-12-02. 
  13. ^ The Telegraph, 4 January 2007
  14. ^ The Hindu January 10, 2007
  15. ^ Sub-Inspector killed in Nandigram, The Hindu February 08, 2007
  16. ^ The Telegraph
  17. ^ "Red-hand Buddha: 14 killed in Nandigram re-entry bid". The Telegraph. 15 March 2007. http://www.telegraphindia.com/1070315/asp/frontpage/story_7519166.asp. Retrieved 2007-03-15. 
  18. ^ Nandigram people's struggle "heroic" : Clark
  19. ^ Nandigram says 'No!' to Dow's chemical hub
  20. ^ Ramsey Clark's visit to Nandigram
  21. ^ Dr. Ashok Mitra (Former Left Front Finance Minister) on Nandigram
  22. ^ Daily India
  23. ^ India eNews.com 7 December 2006
  24. ^ Report on Nandigram by Amnesty International: Urgent need to address large scale human rights abuses during Nandigram recapture
  25. ^ "Railway Budget 2009-2010". indianrail.gov.in. http://www.indianrail.gov.in/Speech_English_2009-10.pdf. Retrieved 2009-10-16. 
  26. ^ "train travel just got better for women youth". blog.taragana.com. http://blog.taragana.com/n/train-travel-just-got-better-for-women-youth-98762/. Retrieved 2009-10-16. 
  27. ^ "Ladies Special Rolls Out". www.expressindia.com. http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/mamata-keeps-word-ladies-special-rolls-out-today-metro-link-on-track/491276/. Retrieved 2009-10-16. 
  28. ^ "New CST Panvel Ladies Special". www.bombay-local.blogspot.com. http://bombay-local.blogspot.com/2009/08/new-cst-panvel-ladies-special-trains.html. Retrieved 2009-10-16. 
  29. ^ "mamata-flags-off-sealdah-new-delhi-duronto-express". www. trak.in. http://trak.in/news/mamata-flags-off-sealdah-new-delhi-duronto-express/5901/. Retrieved 2009-10-16. 
  30. ^ "PM to inaugurate new Railway line in Kashmir today". www.sindhtoday.net. http://www.sindhtoday.net/news/1/65481.htm. Retrieved 2009-11-13. 

[edit] External links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mamata_Banerjee"