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Tamal Banik assume charge as Dist Congress President in-charge in presence of packed auditorium
May 10: It was speculated since the last few days that the aggrieved section within the Silchar District Congress Committee (DCC) would create chaos the day Tamal Kanti Banik would assume charge as the new President in-charge of Silchar DCC. However, such speculations turned to be untrue when Tamal Banik on Tuesday assumed charge as the President in-charge of district Congress in presence of packed auditorium. After a long time, such a huge gathering in any Congress event was noticed at the Rajib Bhavan on Tuesday.
However, after the end of the formal ceremony of handing over charge, Ansar Hussain Barlaskar, Chairman of District Minority Cell of the Congress engaged in a war of words on the issue of removing of a flex with some others of the party. This resulted in a brief scuffle. However, this untoward situation failed to disrupt the ceremony of assuming charge by Tamal Kanti Banik and it went on peacefully without even a brief disruption.
It was incessantly raining since the morning. But inspite of the hostile weather, a huge crowd from both urban and rural areas gathered at Rajib Bhavan to witness the charge take over by Tamal Banik and thereby made all understand that they were in favour of reforms within the party. Assuming charge, Tamal too gave indication that he is willing to move ahead taking all along with him. Amidst opposition by a section, Tamal Banik as per his amiable nature exhibited a show of immense patience and said, “All of us who are in Congress are just like a family. Now the time has come to unite this family and dedicate itself for the welfare of the people. We shall have to offer resistance to the anti-people activities of the BJP. I urge upon all to give up individual likes and dislikes and work unitedly as a well-knit family. I am confident that if we are able to do so then any difference of opinion will be wiped out.”
Participating in this event, Working President of Assam Pradesh Congress President (APCC) cum MLA of North Karimganj, Kamlakhya Dey Purkayastha appealed to all to forget the differences and come forward to strengthen the hand of the Congress party. However, in a subtle way, he sent a clarion message to the agitated lot and said “though salt and sugar look alike, but in fact there taste is quite opposite to the other. In a similar way, though two persons may be look alike of each other, but in nature and character they may be poles apart. It is for the sake of the party that time has come to change oneself and work for the betterment of the party.” He further said that without showing allegiance to the party, if we go on sloganeering against any individual or burn effigies, then it will not be of any loss of that person. But in the long run, such activities would cause much harm to the party.
Further, MLA Kamlakhya Dey Purkayastha said, “On 31 May, the Assam cabinet is going to hold its meeting at Silchar. On that day, the congress party in all the three districts of Barak Valley shall rise into protest against the anti-people policies of the BJP and organise protest demonstration.”
Other Congress leaders present during the ceremony like, MLA Misbaul Islam Laskar, MLA Khalil Uddin Mazumder, General Secretary of District Congress Jalal Ahmed Mazumdar, former Chairman of Zilla Parishad Dibyajyoti Barua veteran Vice President Mani Kanta Sinha and others asserted their full confidence in the leadership qualities of Tamal Kanti Banik. They asserted that under his presidentship, Cachar Congress will be able to put up a brave fight against the BJP and also earn laurels in the elections which will take place in the near future. Other prominent Congress leaders present in the meeting were Partha Ranjan Chakraborty, Shaukat Sultana, Babul Hore, Sarifujjaman Laskar, Binoy Krishna Das and Javed Akhtar Laskar.
During the day, Tamal Kanti Banik took charge as the in-charge President of Silchar District Congress Committee from the Vice President Mani Kanta Sinha. At the end of the ceremony, Tamal was taken to Indira Bhavan and made to sit on the chair of the district president.
Meanwhile, though Town Congress President Atanu Bhattacharjee was present at the ceremony at Rajib Bhavan, but did not step at the Congress office. He did so because he was manhandled by a section of Congress workers a few days ago, the justice for which was not meted to him by the party. On assuming charge, Tamal Banik went to see the former in-charge President of Dist Congress, Arun Dutta Majumdar, who is at present admitted at Red Cross Hospital, Silchar.
Well, although the Congress leaders and workers at large are optimistic about the future of Congress under the leadership of their new district President Tamal Kanti Banik, he will have to walk extra miles to bring back the party to his pristine position.
