# Bengal

Bista for CBI probe into HIMUL ‘graft’

According to the MP, due to the “gross mismanagement” by the TMC government, HIMUL has been forced to shut down its operations. “I fear that much like Metro Dairy, the TMC Government will give away HIMUL assets too to their cronies, while keeping the HIMUL cooperative members are deprived of the funds,”

Statesman News Service | Siliguri | November 11, 2021 1:38 am

Welcoming the Central Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) willingness to probe West Bengal government’s sale of its 47 per cent stake in the Metro Dairy project to a private company, Darjeeling MP Raju Bista has said that they would request the Calcutta High Court to instruct the CBI to also inquire into the alleged mismanagement and siphoning off of funds from the Himalayan Cooperative Milk Producers’ Union Limited (HIMUL), which allegedly led to its closure.

Following Berhampore MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury’s appeal to the Calcutta HC, the CBI informed the Court yesterday that they were ready to probe the West Bengal government’s sale of its 47 per cent stake in the Metro Dairy project.

Bista, also a BJP national spokesperson, said today, “Metro Dairy was set up by the government using public funds in 1991. By selling a majority share of the company for such a low price, the Trinamool Congress led government has allegedly caused a deliberate loss of at least Rs 500 crores to the public.” “Therefore, the willingness shown by the CBI to probe into this obvious scam is welcome,” Bista said.

“This also neatly ties into Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s recent references to converting HIMUL to Bangla Dairy. She was also referring to using HIMUL land for private industries. HIMUL, which was based on the same set up as AMUL was at one point in time a very profitable and revenue surplus entity for entire North Bengal,” he added.

According to the MP, due to the “gross mismanagement” by the TMC government, HIMUL has been forced to shut down its operations. “I fear that much like Metro Dairy, the TMC Government will give away HIMUL assets too to their cronies, while keeping the HIMUL cooperative members are deprived of the funds,” Bista added.

# Bengal

SSB’s role crucial in Darjeeling Hills, says MP Raju Bista

Darjeeling MP Raju Bista underscored the critical role of the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) in safeguarding the Darjeeling Hills, Terai, and Dooars, which include the strategically significant “Chicken Neck” region of India.

# Bengal

Darjeeling MP demands ST status for 11 left-out Gorkha sub-tribes in Parliament

Darjeeling MP Raju Bista raised the issue of re-inclusion of 11 excluded Gorkha sub-tribes—Gurung, Bhujel, Mangar, Newar, Jogi, Khas, Rai, Sunwar, Thami, Yakkha, and Dhimal—as Scheduled Tribes (ST) in Parliament, emphasising the urgency of the matter.

# India

Post-mortem confirms suicide in Kannur ADM case; wife seeks CBI probe

The post-mortem report of Additional District Magistrate (ADM) Naveen Babu, who was found dead in his official quarters at Pallikkunnu, Kannur, has confirmed that his death was caused by hanging, with no suspicious injuries or wounds on the body.