Kolkata: Undaunted by the rising criticism over their “unethical” continuation in various railway committees, pro-Trinamool Congress intellectuals yesterday said they would continue to head the committees until new ones are formed.
The Trinamool Congress’s exit from the ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA) has put a question mark over the fate of committees constituted when the Trinamool Congress held the railways portfolio.
When Trinamool Congress supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee joined the UPA in 2009 and took charge of the railway ministry, she constituted some committees and inducted several intellectuals considered close to her in existing committees.
The committees were retained during the tenures of the next two railway ministers, Dinesh Trivedi and Mukul Roy, who too were from the Trinamool Congress.
“These committees have a specific tenure. Now a new railway minister has taken charge. He will surely form new committees, so until and unless new committees are formed we are there in these committees. There is no question of stepping down as we are there to serve the nation,” painter Shuvaprasanna, Banerjee’s close aide, said.
Shuvaprasanna heads the Railways Passenger Amenities Committee, which has fellow painter Samir Aich, film directors Gautam Ghose and Haranath Chakrabarty and singer Pallab Kirtanya as members. Theatre personality Bibhas Chakraborty is a part of another committee.
“The railway ministry is a part of the union government. There is no logic in the demand of our resignations. If a specific party has formed such committees decides to withdraw support to the government, it doesn’t means that these committees should be closed down,” said Chakraborty.
IANS
