The Hindu : Differences over proposed India Gate

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jun 26, 2003

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Differences over proposed India Gate

By Malabika Bhattacharya

Kolkata June 25. Sharp differences appear to have arisen between the Buddhadeb Bhatacharjee Government and the Kolkata Mayor, Subrata Mukherjee, on the latter's proposal for a Mumbai-type India Gate here at a cost of Rs. 15.5 crores at a time when the Government has called for a large austerity drive by public bodies in view of the financial crisis casting a shadow on Bengal.

Mr. Mukherjee, who has invited the Deputy Prime Minister, L.K. Advani, for laying the foundation of the proposed India Gate on July 6, today sought to convince Mr. Bhattacharjee of the need for an India Gate in the course of a hurriedly-held meeting in Writers Buildings.

The Mayor told the Chief Minister that the Government should not have allowed the setting up of ``Millennium Park'', and ``Banabithi'' among others.

Mr. Bhattacharjee's Government as well as the Communist Party of India (Marxist) leadership appeared today to be hardening their position on the India Gate issue as they realised that Mamata Banerjee, Trinamool Congress supremo, was trying to cosy up to Mr. Advani through the proposed India Gate.

It is believed that Mr. Mukherjee pointed out his helplessness, even as Ms. Banerjee's appeared to have stepped up activities relating to the proposed gate.

Two days ago, she called on Mr. Advani, congratulated him on his successful U.S. visit and invited him to lay the foundation stone for the gate.

Mr. Mukherjee had been engaging the Government on the issue early this year and had made an announcement on the assumption that the Government was backing him.

The Mayor reiterated today that the proposed India Gate, on the lines of the Eiffel Tower, ``on the Eastern Metropolitan By-pass would come up anyway.''

He even dared the Chief Minister to ``undo his efforts on flimsy grounds.''

The Mayor said that the Government's arguments against the project were ``untenable''. He rubbished the Government's logic that the fund-starved Corporation could not afford to invest in such projects.

The Urban Development Minister, Ashok Bhattacharjee, however, said today that the proposed gate was nothing but ``a wasteful expenditure.''

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