In a strong message to her party leaders, Trinamul Congress chief Mamata Banerjee warned that she would not allow anyone to seek money from industrialists. At the same time, she also asked the industrialists not to indulge anyone from the Trinamul Congress in seeking money from them.
“If somebody wants money from you in the name of the Trinamul Congress, don’t give any money. Please stop this practice. It doesn’t help the party and the government. Instead of giving money to the political party, spend money in people’s welfare: build schools, construct roads and set up industries,” Ms Banerjee told to the industrialists.
She added that if the political parties ask for fund during elections, the industrialists should give cheques, instead of paying cash. “If the party needs fund during elections, we will ask you to give donation or we will beg for it. But don’t pay money to anyone who asks for it in the name of the Trinamul Congress,” Ms Banerjee made it clear.
Reiterating her opposition to bandhs and strikes, the chief minister said: “I have never allowed bandh in the IT sector and would not allow it in the future too. I don’t want disruption in this essential sector. We will keep our promise in bringing a revolution in agriculture and industry in the state. I know some people will try to stop this by calling bandh and making disruptions, but I don’t care. Whatever I have promised, I will do 110 per cent and not 99 per cent.”
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No trace of hijacked tanker with 21 Indians
Mumbai, Aug. 21: Authorities on Sunday indicated they were not aware about the location of the oil tanker, with 21 Indian crew members on board, that has been hijacked by pirates off the coast of Oman.
“We can follow the procedure (of freeing the hijacked tanker) only after the ship reaches Somalia,” said a senior official in the shipping ministry.
Indicating that they are clueless about the location of the tanker, M.V. Fairchem Bogey, he said they are now waiting for the first call that the pirates would make to the ship owner.
Only after the call is received, the negotiations with the pirates can begin, the official maintained.
The vessel, managed by Mumbai-based Anglo-Eastern Ship Management (I), was hijacked on Saturday while it was at the Salalah anchorage in Oman.
In the past one year, the Gulf of Aden, which is close to the port of Salalah, has witnessed a number of ship hijackings by Somali pirates.
— PTI