May 04, 2010 15:23 IST
She was conspicuous by her absence. Union Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee was not present in the Lok Sabha when the opposition members forced an adjournment on Tuesday, raising several issues, including the ongoing Mumbai motormen strike.
More than 1,000 motormen from Mumbai's central and western railway, which form the backbone of the city's commuters, have been on a hunger strike for the past 30 hours and they refuse to resume their duties unless their demands are met.
Three-hundred-and-ninety-seven Western Railway motormen and more than 600 Central Railway motormen have united at the iconic Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus in south Mumbai, demanding a pay hike and weekly offs.
Anticipating trouble, the Mumbai police had to increase security at CST, and 170 motormen were arrested for creating obstructions.
As Mumbai is crippled by the strike and city administration gropes for a solution, angry questions are raised regarding Banerjee's whereabouts.
Mukul Roy, minister of state for shipping, and one of Banerjee's trusted colleagues told rediff.com on Tuesday afternoon, "Didi is at home parleying with her partymen."
Being asked why she was not reacting on the motormen's strike, which has struck Mumbai hard, an irked Roy replied, "She will attend a press conference around 4 pm on the issue."
Incidentally, with Kolkata municipal elections being just round the corner, former Kolkata mayor and a Congress veteran Subrata Mukherjee announced his decision to join the Trinamool Congress on Tuesday.
Mukherjee cited Congress'failure to strike an alliance with the Trinamool Congress prior to the municipal election as the reason for his floor-crossing.
According to didi's detractors, "Banerjee has her hands full with the pre-municipal polls and she is just not bothered about what is happening in the rest of the country."
Needless to mention that such an "irresponsible" behaviour is not expected of the railway minister at a time when only 20 percent of Mumbai's trains are functional.
India's bustling commercial capital has come to a standstill with roads jammed with vehicular transport and there has been no attempt of intervention from the railway minister so far.
Our correspondent above asks, where is Mamata Banerjee?
To answer that question you will first have to answer these.
Is there a procession?
Is there a Muslim constituency where she can wear a headscarf over her head, spread her hand in front as if saying namaz?
Is the CPM involved?
Are there freebies to be distributed?
The answer to all these is a big NO.
So how can she be found there?
She has more important matters in Bengal where she is fighting elections against the CPM and instigating defection from the Congress party.
She has already managed to carry away a big "Tarbuj"
By the way Mr. Prime Minister, the buck stops at your table since you are the person who has chosen her to be your Railway Minister or rather prospective W.B Chief Minister on deputation as Railway Minister to the Centre.
She should be sacked and a permanent Railway Minister be appointed as she will continue to shuttle between Bengal and Delhi until the W B Chief Minister's chair is vacated by Buddhadev Bhattacharya.
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