Nisith is Amit Shah’s deputy in home ministry

KOLKATA: Cooch Behar MP Nisith Pramanik’s induction as Union home minister Amit Shah’s deputy has caught eyeballs in political circles, including BJP.

Union minister of state for home affairs Pramanik joined his North Block office on Thursday afternoon. “I will consider myself successful only if I am able to discharge my duties as minister. I am from West

Bengal

and definitely Bengal will always remain a soft corner for me,” he said.

BJP seniors want to project Pramanik as its face in north Bengal when the region faces several problems, including infiltration. According to party seniors, Shah, during his campaign in north Bengal, gave special attention to this BJP leader popular among Rajbanshis.

Pramanik could be the Centre’s pointperson in north Bengal to address problems such as those regarding Greater Cooch Behar and Kamtapur movements, and infiltration. He is another young minister, like Kiren Rijiju, who had taken a strong stand against Rohingya refugees in 2017, the reason why Pramanik could be the target of Trinamool in north Bengal.

The Cooch Behar MP in the last two months had been quite active in taking up the cause of post-poll violence victims in Bengal. Earlier last month, Pramanik accompanied governor Jagdeep Dhankhar to areas that had been affected by violence after assembly election results were declared. “Every issue is under our radar. You will gradually see the steps the government is going to take,” Pramanik said.

The other controversial face in the Union ministry is John Barla, BJP MP from Alipurduar. An Adivasi leader, Barla shares a good rapport with Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (Bimal Gurung) faction. “I am happy that I have got the opportunity to work for people,” he said.

BJP’s Bankura MP and former RSS swayamsevak Subhas Sarkar took charge as junior minister for education. Sarkar is likely to push for New Education Policy of the Modi government in Bengal when the Trinamool government is opposed to it.

Sarkar began his day on Thursday by attending a meeting with directors of four IITs. “We are talking to the heads of institutions, including IIT, to find out what innovative work or projects they have done during the period. The Prime Minister charted out the way forward for these institutions,” he said.

Sarkar added the government would look into “lapses” in implementation of centrally sponsored education schemes in Bengal. “New Education Policy will be implemented at the ground level and today’s interaction is a precursor to that. We will definitely look into proper implementation of that in all states, including Bengal,” he said.


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