West Bengal minister assures full support to ACT's fight

Gangtok, Aug 5 (UNI) West Bengal minister for Urban Development Ashok Bhattacharya today assured full support of the CPI(M) to the ongoing hunger strike by Affected Citizens of Teesta (ACT) protesting hydel power projects in tribal Dzongu in North Sikkim.

He also appealed to the ruling Sikkim Democratic Front government to resolve the controversial issue amicably.

Addressing a seminar organised by the state CPI(M) unit here to mark 30 years of Left Front government in West Bengal, Mr Bhattacharya said, ''We have given our full support to ACT because it involves an indigenous Lepcha tribe, protected land and a national park.'' Mr Bhattacharya, also the in-charge of the Sikkim CPI(M) unit, criticised the Sikkim government for not addressing the ACT hunger strike issue in proper manner.

ACT members had launched their hunger strike from June 20 to protest the proposed implementation of mega power projects in Dzongu, which is a protected area for the aboriginal Lepcha tribe.

Mr Bhattacharya and CPI(M) Rajya Sabha MP Suraj Pathak had also met the ACT members yesterday. They also visited the STNM hospital where two ACT members -Dawa Lepcha and Tenzing Lepcha-, who were on indefinite hunger strike, have been admitted after their condition deteriorated.

Requesting the Sikkim government to give the Lepcha tribe justice, Mr Bhattarcharya said the movement of ACT must be respectfully settled.

Mr Pathak promised to raise the ACT issue in Parliament.

Both the invitees also stressed on the need to maintain good relations between Sikkim and West Bengal. ''Whenever Sikkim was in trouble due to disturbances in neighbouring Darjeeling district, West Bengal had always come forward to protect Sikkim,'' Mr Pathak said.

The two CPI(M) leaders also drew the attention of the gathering to the rapid strides made by West Bengal under Left Front rule and claimed that the clean image of the Front was its main strength.

''During our 30 years of rule, nobody has accused us of corruption,'' Mr Bhattacharya claimed.

Leaders of different political parties and associations had accused the Sikkim government of forcibly imposing mega power projects in Dzongu and appealed to the two CPI(M) leaders to raise the issue with the UPA government.

UNI