Malda: Ahead of Rahul Gandhi's 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' entering Malda on Wednesday, Congress condemned district administration for not giving them permission to use the bungalow of the irrigation department for hosting lunch. Meanwhile, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will also be in the district on the same day for a meeting.
The district Congress leadership wanted to host lunch for Gandhi at the irrigation department's bungalow at Bhaluka in Ratua and submitted an application in this regard. The Congress district leaders alleged that the district administration has not responded to their application till now compelling them to make an alternative arrangement.
The 'Bharat Jodo Nyaya Yatra' will enter Malda from Bihar through Harishchandrapur at around 11 am on Wednesday. After entering the district, the rally will go to Ratua Block 1 where a lunch has been arranged for the former Congress president in the afternoon. The menu has green salad, peas kachuri, chickpea dal, rice, vetki fish paturi, prawn malaikari, aar fish, chicken kasha, tomato chutney with dates, sweets and curd. Food will be served on plates made of sugarcane chips. Gandhi will spend the night in Sujapur.
District Congress vice-president Bhupendranath Halder has criticised the administration for not allowing them to use the irrigation department's bungalow. He said, “We wanted to arrange lunch for our leader Rahul Gandhi at Bhaluka Dak Bungalow of the irrigation department. I wrote a letter to the Mahananda Embankment Division of the irrigation department a long ago and even spoke to the secretary. So far they have not given us permission. We feel that the officials are afraid of going out of favour if they give us permission to use the government bungalow. Also, we heard that since the CM is coming to Malda to hold a meeting that day and all government bungalows have been booked. We will make our programme successful with support from common people".
Trinamool Congress district vice-president Dulal Sarkar alleged that the Congress leadership always turns attention towards Malda whenever elections are round the corner. "The Madhyamik and Higher Secondary exams will start from February so the state government is holding the fairs of various projects this month. So, the government guest houses in the district have been booked for ministers and bureaucrats. Rahul Gandhi's programme was announced long back, why didn't the Congress leadership apply for a guest house earlier. Were Congress sleeping for so long?" he asked.
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