In an apparent reflection of the strained relations between TMC government in West Bengal and the BJP-ruled Centre, a newly widened stretch of NH 2, connecting Panagarh-Durgapur, was today opened twice by a West Bengal minister and Union Minister Babul Supriyo in a span of few hours.
Earlier in the day around 10 am, West Bengal minister of Labour Malay Ghatak formally opened the 8-km long stretch, where work had been held up for years due to encroachment by farmers and local traders of Panagarh Bazar before they were persuaded to leave and the project resumed and was completed recently.
Goats said, with the proposed inauguration on December 2 not taking place, the public was suffering and hence the stretch was being opened without any official programme.
Ghatak, who was accompanied by ministerial colleague Swapan Debnath and Asansol Mayor Jitendra Tewary, ordered removal of boulders to let vehicles pass.
A livid Supriyo, while formally inaugurating the same stretch at 4 pm, said this showed the TMC's culture of hijacking a central minister's programme.
Supriyo, the Union Minister of State for Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, sarcastically commented "if a cat nibbles at the birthday cake kept in room before the evening cake cutting ceremony by stealthily entering the room, will that stop the cake cutting celebration of the concerned person by his near ones!"
To a question, the Asansol MP said no formal complaint will be made against TMC leaders as this act only exposed themselves (TMC) before the public.
The December 2 inauguration programme was postponed due to monitoring vehicle movement at toll tax plazas which would have disturbed VVIP movements.
It was then deferred to December 10 and advertisements were given in papers about Supriyo inaugurating this afternoon.
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