Mamata Banerjee

Mamata Banerjee
মমতা বন্দ্যোপাধ্যায়
Portrait of Mamata Banerjee
Minister of Railways
Government of India
Incumbent
Assumed office 
22 May 2009
Preceded by Lalu Prasad Yadav
Born 5 January 1955 (1955-01-05) (age 56)
Kolkata, West Bengal, India
Nationality Indian
Political party All India Trinamool Congress
Spouse(s) None
Residence New Delhi, India (Official)
Kolkata, West Bengal (Private)
Alma mater University of Calcutta
Profession Advocate
Social Worker
Religion Hinduism
Website Mamata Banerjee

Mamata Banerjee (Bengali: মমতা বন্দ্যোপাধ্যায়, pronounced /mɔːmoːt̪ʰaː bɛːnaːrjiː/; born 5 January 1955) is the leader of the Trinamool Congress and Leader of the Opposition in the state of West Bengal. She is the founder and Chairperson of the party and has been the current Railway Minister of the Republic of India.[1] Mamata is popularly known as "Didi" - the elder sister to all her followers in West Bengal. Her oratory was all about connecting with ordinary people with ordinary dreams. She is noted for her opposition to Special Economic Zones and industrialization in West Bengal at the cost of agriculturalists and laborers.

Contents

Early life and education

Mamata Banerjee was born to Shri Promileswar Banerjee and Smt. Gayetri Banerjee on 5 January 1955, in Calcutta (now Kolkata), West Bengal, India. She grew up from a lower middle-class family and then started her political career with the Congress. And, as a young woman in the 1970s, she quickly rose in the ranks to become the general secretary of the state Mahila Congress (1976–80). She hasn't received a classy upbringing. Her father couldn't send her to an English-medium school. She was a college-going adult in the mid-seventies when politics in Bengal had begun to accommodate the riffraff. Uninhibited, she jumped up on the bonnet of Jaiprakash Narayan's car. Throughout her political life she maintained an austere lifestyle and never spends money on clothes, cosmetics and jewellery and slung a cotton bag on her shoulder. She has remained single throughout her life.[2][3]

Later, she attended Calcutta University studying Arts & attaining bachelor's and master's degrees. Her B.Ed. was done from the Shri Shikshayatan 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.[4]

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.[5] 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(this never happened).[6] 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.[7] 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.

Trinamool Congress

Flag of Trinamool Congress

In 1997, Mamata Banerjee came out of 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 11 December 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.[8]

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

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.[9] 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).[9] 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.[10]

She also focused 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.[10]

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 20 October 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.[11][12]

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 4 August 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.[13][14].

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.[15] The Trinamul Congress MLAs protested by damaging furniture and microphones in the West Bengal Assembly.[16][15] A major strike was called on 14 December 2006.

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.

In the 2010 Municipal Elections in West Bengal, TMC won KOLKATA CORPORATION in a margin of 62 seats.Also won Bidhan Nagar Corporation in 16-9 seats margin.

Nandigram

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.[17][18] Trinamool Congress started a blockade. The Chief minister demanded the notice be torn off.[19] On 14 March the cops stared firing and killed 14 villagers, when cops were sent to remove the blockade of around 6 months by Mamata Banerjee's violent movement there. Her party agitated local people to stand against authority.[20] Many common people were homeless due to this political carnage.[21] 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 CPI(M).[22][23][24] 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.[25][26][27] Agitation in Nandigram has subsided, after the State Govt. shelved the proposed chemical hub project. Mamata Banerjee gained a huge political benefit from all this.[28]

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.

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.[29] She also introduced some new concept of Trains like “Duranta”, “Yuva” in budget. Now “Duranta” is the fastest train service in India.[30] To relieve women passengers during rush hour,Mamata started Ladies Special Train on 19 July between Bandel and Howrah.[31] Later, some more Ladies Special has been introduced by her, e.g. Kalyani-Sealdah, Panvel-Mumabi CST.[32]

Mamata Banerjee flagged off the Duronto Express – a non-stop train, fastest train of India between Sealdah and New Delhi on 18 September.[33] Super fast Duronto Express train between Chennai and New Delhi was introduced on 21 September. She also took steps to spread railway in terror hit regions of Kashmir. Anantnag-Qadigund Railway line was inaugurated in October.[34]

On 7 February 2010, Banerjee will start as many as nineteen new train services.[35] Due to repeated sexual harassment and/or sexual assault of India's women commuters, eight trains will be designated as women-only.[36]

During her second tenure Indian railway faced 200 accidents in 14 months. It is being discussed that she is ignoring the basic Railway security features to ensure safe journey.[37]

2010 Municipality Elections

Mamata Banerjee showed an outstanding performance in the civic elections. Her party single handedly won 95 out of 141 wards in Kolkata, 16 out of 25 in Saltlake and many others in districts. Left has its worst performance ever and signs are visible of a change in regime in 2011 State Assembly election.

References

  1. ↑ "Council of Ministers - Who's Who - Government: National Portal of India". http://india.gov.in. Government of India. http://india.gov.in/govt/cabinet.php. Retrieved 11 August 2010. 
  2. ↑ "Microsoft Corporation Annual Report 2005". Expressbuzz. http://expressbuzz.com/magazine/an-irascible-leader-who-rose-from-middle-class/179876.html. Retrieved 12 Jun 2010. 
  3. ↑ "Microsoft Corporation Annual Report 2005". CNN-IBN. http://ibnlive.in.com/blogs/diptoshmajumdar/5/61837/mamata-express-you-cant-stop-her-anymore.html. Retrieved June 03, 2010. 
  4. ↑ "Microsoft Corporation Annual Report 2005". Member of Parliament. http://parliamentofindia.nic.in/ls/lok12/biodata/12wb23.htm. 
  5. ↑ "Mamta Banerjee Profile". incredible-people.com. http://profiles.incredible-people.com/mamta-banerjee/. 
  6. ↑ "Mamata mum on relations with BJP". 6 January 2003. http://www.tribuneindia.com/2003/20030107/nation.htm#1. Retrieved 2 December 2006. 
  7. ↑ Ashis Chakrabarti (8 November 1998). "Theatrics of a Bengal tigress". The Indian Express. http://www.indianexpress.com/res/web/pIe/ie/daily/19981108/31250764.html. Retrieved 12 November 2007. 
  8. ↑ "National Events in December 1998". The Hindu. http://www.hinduonnet.com/revents/01/19980112.htm. Retrieved 12 November 2007. 
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 "New trains for West Bengal". The Tribune. 26 February 2000. http://www.tribuneindia.com/2000/20000226/main2.htm#4. Retrieved 12 November 2007. 
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 "Railways to focus on tourism, trans-Asian role, hardselling freight services". Rediff.com. 25 February 2000. http://www.rediff.com/business/2000/feb/25rail2.htm. Retrieved 12 November 2007. 
  11. ↑ "Weather plays spoilsport for TMC". 21 October 2005. http://www.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/oct212005/national18114720051020.asp. Retrieved 2 December 2006. 
  12. ↑ "Missing on bandh day: its champions -- Mamata stays indoors, Cong scarce". 10 October 2006. http://www.telegraphindia.com/1061010/asp/bengal/story_6851157.asp. Retrieved 2 December 2006. 
  13. ↑ "Mamata Banerjee's unending tantrums". 8 August 2005. http://www.hindu.com/2005/08/08/stories/2005080804081000.htm. Retrieved 2 December 2006. 
  14. ↑ "Mamata casts shame at House Paper throw at Speaker". 4 August 2005. http://www.telegraphindia.com/1050805/asp/frontpage/story_5077148.asp. Retrieved 2 December 2006. 
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 "Trinamool unleashes violence in W Bengal". 30 November 2006. http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_1856399,000900030001.htm. Retrieved 2 December 2006. 
  16. ↑ "Heritage vandalised in Bengal House". 2 December 2006. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/NEWS/India/Heritage_vandalised_in_Bengal_House/articleshow/678018.cms. Retrieved 2 December 2006. 
  17. ↑ "False alarm sparks clash". The Telegraph. 4 January 2007. http://www.telegraphindia.com/1070104/asp/frontpage/story_7218357.asp. 
  18. ↑ "Haldia authority's notification created confusion: Buddhadeb". The Hindu. 10 January 2007. http://www.hindu.com/2007/01/10/stories/2007011006381200.htm. 
  19. ↑ "Sub-Inspector killed in Nandigram". The Hindu. 8 February 2007. http://www.hindu.com/2007/02/08/stories/2007020806021200.htm. 
  20. ↑ "Stockpile squad trail heads towards party - Phone records spill Nandigram secret". The Telegraph. 19 March 2007. http://telegraphindia.com/1070319/asp/frontpage/story_7537027.asp. 
  21. ↑ "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 15 March 2007. 
  22. ↑ "Nandigram people's struggle "heroic": Clark". One India. http://news.oneindia.in/2007/11/30/nandigram-peoples-struggle-heroic--clark-1196438590.html. 
  23. ↑ Kirschbaum, Stevan. "Nandigram says 'No!' to Dow's chemical hub". International Action Center. http://www.iacboston.org/india/1207-nandigram-says-no.html. 
  24. ↑ "The Great Left Debate: Chomsky to Saddam, Iraq to Nandigram". Indian Express. 5 December 2007. http://www.indianexpress.com/story/246969.html. 
  25. ↑ Mitra, Ashok (15 November 2007). "You are not what you were - Ashok Mitra after 14 November 2007". Sanhati. http://sanhati.com/articles/446/. 
  26. ↑ Daily India
  27. ↑ "'Go back Medha' posters in Kolkata". India eNews.com. 7 December 2006. http://www.indiaenews.com/india/20061207/31650.htm. 
  28. ↑ Amnesty International. 15 January 2008. http://www.amnestyusa.org/document.php?lang=e&id=ENGASA200012008 title=India: Urgent need to address large scale human rights abuses during Nandigram "recapture". 
  29. ↑ "Railway Budget 2009-2010". Indian Railways. http://www.indianrail.gov.in/Speech_English_2009-10.pdf. Retrieved 16 October 2009. 
  30. ↑ "train travel just got better for women youth". Breaking News 24/7. http://blog.taragana.com/n/train-travel-just-got-better-for-women-youth-98762/. Retrieved 16 October 2009. 
  31. ↑ "Ladies Special Rolls Out". Express India. http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/mamata-keeps-word-ladies-special-rolls-out-today-metro-link-on-track/491276/. Retrieved 16 October 2009. 
  32. ↑ "New CST Panvel Ladies Special". Bombay-Local. http://bombay-local.blogspot.com/2009/08/new-cst-panvel-ladies-special-trains.html. Retrieved 16 October 2009. 
  33. ↑ "mamata-flags-off-sealdah-new-delhi-duronto-express". Armoks News. http://trak.in/news/mamata-flags-off-sealdah-new-delhi-duronto-express/5901/. Retrieved 16 October 2009. 
  34. ↑ "PM to inaugurate new Railway line in Kashmir today". Sindh Today. http://www.sindhtoday.net/news/1/65481.htm. Retrieved 13 November 2009. 
  35. ↑ "Mamata Banerjee to start 19 new trains on 7 February". Business Standard. http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/mamata-banerjee-to-start-19-new-trainsfebruary-7/384573/. Retrieved 4 February 2010. 
  36. ↑ "A New Way to Commute: Women-Only Trains in India". Marie Claire. http://www.marieclaire.com/world-reports/opinion/india-women-only-trains. Retrieved 27 January 2010. 
  37. ↑ http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/opinion/edit-page/Train-to-nowhere/articleshow/6192378.cms

External links

Political offices
Preceded by
Lalu Prasad Yadav		 Minister of Railways
unknown		 Incumbent