Islampur, Oct. 26: The Trinamul Congress will conduct a twin-edged survey on land for the AIIMS-like hospital with the hope of either “exposing” the Congress or claiming credit for collecting conclusive data.
The party has decided to open a camp near Raiganj where farmers willing to give land for the project could submit letters of assent. The Raiganj facility requires 100 acres and if the number of farmers do not prove to be enough, it would give Trinamul the chance to call Congress MP Deepa Das Munshi’s campaign a sham.
Led by Deepa, the Congress has been campaigning for the AIIMS-like facility to be made in Panishala in Raiganj. The Mamata Banerjee-led government, however, wants the hospital to be built in Kalyani.
With panchayat elections round the corner, the AIIMS project has become a big issue.
Amal Acharya, the North Dinajpur Trinamul president, said: “Deepa Das Munshi has been crying hoarse that farmers of Panishala are ready to hand over land. Mamata Banerjee has made it clear that if land is available, the state would expedite the process to establish the AIIMS-like hospital. We have decided to set up a camp at Karnajora and urge farmers to give assent for handing over land to the government. We would help them meet the officials and hand over their consent letters.”
Acharya added: “This exercise will help us find out how many farmers are ready to give their land and what the total land is that the state can get without any coercion.”
A source said: “If it is found that the land that the farmers are willing to give up is less than 100 acres, Trinamul can prove Deepa wrong. If adequate land is available, Trinamul can accuse the Congress for being irresponsible by not facilitating acquisition that it wants to do through the camp.”
Mohit Sengupta, the Raiganj Congress MLA, said: “Trinamul’s decision to set up a camp proves our win. They were forced to call the farmers with consent letters as they have realised that suppression of the issue… would not serve the purpose.”
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