BJP MP Arjun Singh had raised the issue with Centre Two days after BJP MP Arjun Singh spoke up against the jute policy of the Central government, INTTUC, the trade union wing of the ruling Trinamool Congress on Wednesday submitted a memorandum at the jute commissioner’s office in Salt Lake seeking a revival of the industry.
INTTUC state president Ritabrata Banerjee, along with state minister Becharam Manna, took out a rally on Wednesday before handing in the memorandum to the jute commissioner.
On Monday, the Barrackpore BJP MP had said he was willing to join forces with the TMC in its protest against the jute pricing policy. “If necessary, I will participate in TMC’s movement to save the jute industry,” the BJP MP had said.
On Wednesday, he said that he had set his hopes on the tripartite meeting on the jute industry and will decide on his future course of action if it doesn’t turn out to be fruitful.
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The TMC, however, claimed that it was the only political party to be waging a movement to save the jute industry.
After submitting the memorandum on Wednesday, Manna said, “Arjun Singh is an opportunist leader. He is an MP. Why did he not raise the Centre’s jute pricing policy in Parliament? It was only when the TMC hit the street that he started speaking on the issue.”
Banerjee said, “The Central government has fixed the rate of jute at Rs 6,500 per quintal. We demand that the policy be withdrawn as it will result in the closure of the jute industry.”
According to the TMC, the prevailing price policy of the Centre has already resulted in reduction of jute production. Leaders in the ruling party further claimed that the Central government came with the jute pricing policy under pressure from the plastic lobby of the country. The CPI(M), SUCI and other Left-backed organisations have also been vocal against the jute pricing policy of the Central government.
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