Goutam Deb questions move to scrap Jyoti Basu Nagar’s name

TNN | Oct 21, 2011, 03.29AM IST

KOLKATA: Former state housing minister Goutam Deb on Thursday said the move to scrap Rajarhat New Town's name as Jyoti Basu Nagar would require an administrative order to revoke a gazette notification issued by the governor on October 1 last year and questioned the manner it is being done. The issue is likely to figure in a Left Front meeting on Friday following Forward Bloc leader Asoke Ghosh's request to Front chairman Biman Bose.

The Trinamool Congress-run government has decided not to rename Rajarhat New Town after Jyoti Basu. The renaming proposal, it said, was part of the New Town Kolkata Development Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2010, passed in the assembly during the Left Front regime. The revision comes after governor M K Narayanan sought the new government's opinion on some of the Bills passed during the fag end of the erstwhile government. The fresh draft - recommended by the present government - does not take into account "renaming" of the township after Jyoti Basu. The government is working on the portion of the Bill that deals with taxation.

Deb says this bill isn't about renaming at all. "There were some tax proposals in it. The government may or may not accept those. The bill merely said Rajarhat New Town, henceforth called Jyoti Basu Nagar," he said. "The name, Jyoti Basu Nagar first figured in a Hidco board resolution. This was then made into an administrative order. If renaming requires a separate bill, I hope Mamata Banerjee has got such bills cleared when she renamed railway stations and other institutions," he said.

Deb said even the New Town Kolkata Development Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2010, when put in the assembly was sent to a standing committee. "When I moved the bill, leader of the opposition then Partha Chatterjee requested that since it involves tax proposals it should be examined in detailed by the standing committee. I had consented. The standing committee has since given its reports, and it does commend us for renaming New Town as Jyoti Basu Nagar. Now they may have a different opinion," he said. Deb said, "Mamata Banerjee has to resolve bigger issues. I hope she will refrain from such petty politics.

Urban development minister Firad Hakim said, "The governor has sought an opinion."