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Wednesday, September 14, 2011
ATTACKS IN BENGAL: WAKE-UP CALL FOR INDIAN PEOPLE
EDITORIAL
IN the midst of the country’s and parliament’s pre-occupation with Anna Hazare’s fast and the Lokpal Bill, the serious attack on democracy and civil liberties in West Bengal is not receiving the required and necessary attention. This is not surprising given the congenital anti-Left attitude of the corporate media. Recollect that a few months ago, people in numbers that were exponentially larger than those who collected at Ramlila Maidan, marched to the parliament at the call of the central trade unions. These equally patriotic Indians were protesting against both price rise and corruption. The only reference in the mainstream media to this huge mobilisation was the traffic dislocation that this caused in the capital! The electronic media decides its content on the basis of TRP ratings and not on the worthiness of the news. Showing the ‘wretched of the earth’ protesting price rise and corruption may not influence TRP ratings positively. Such is their logic!
It is this very mindset that reflected in the virtual black out of the news, by the mainstream media, of a dharna staged by more than 1500 sitting and former elected representatives from Bengal on August 25, 2011. A 17-member delegation met the prime minister on behalf of this dharna and presented a detailed memorandum listing the serious violent attacks against the Left Front cadres, offices and homes in West Bengal.
A summary of this report reveals that 30 Left Front leaders and workers [CPI (M): 28, RSP: 2] have been killed and seven more were abetted to commit suicide during this period; 684 women were assaulted physically, 508 molested and 23 raped; 3785 persons had to be hospitalised for the treatment of injuries suffered by them and many more were forced not to lodge complaint and seek hospital treatment. There had been 2,064 cases of arson and looting of houses and 14,081 persons were evicted from their place of living. Around 40,000 in total had to leave their home under threat. To buy peace and stay in their home, people have been forced to pay money to the local AITC leaders and workers. According to a conservative estimate, total extortion amount thus paid might exceed Rs 277.7 million. 758 Party, trade union and other mass organisation offices were either attacked, ransacked, burnt, forced to close or captured. 77 student union offices have been captured. Their office-bearers have been driven out, some of them forced to resign and even others denied to appear for their exams. There has been a widespread attack on the rights of the peasantry where by 3,418 ryots were denied the right to cultivate their own lands amounting to 9222.73 acres. Besides 26,838 patta holders and sharecroppers have been forcibly evicted from 9222.02 acres of patta and barga lands.
Despite such serious and unacceptable attacks on democratic rights and civil liberties, not a whimper was heard from any section of the so-called civil society. These very luminaries were in the forefront, in collaboration with the Maoists, in highlighting the blatantly fabricated attacks against the Left Front and the state government on the issues of Singur and Nandigram. Now, given the seriousness of these attacks in Bengal, they choose to remain silent. Need anything more be said about their ideological predilections?
This, however, is not surprising. It brings back memories of the decade of 1970s. For full six years from 1972, a semi-fascist terror was unleashed against the CPI (M) in West Bengal. This was aimed at seeking to decimate the Communist-led popular movement in the state. Over 1,400 comrades were martyred and 22,000 Party families had to be relocated during the successful resistance defeating this semi-fascist terror. Only when such attacks on democratic rights was generalised for the whole country with the imposition of internal Emergency in 1975 did some other sections wake up to the dangers of authoritarianism. The people finally triumphed in defeating the serious assault on India’s democracy in 1977. Likewise, contrary to the hopes and machinations of the ruling classes, the people of West Bengal had not only reposed faith in the CPI(M)-led Left Front in the 1977 elections but continued to repose, in an unprecedented manner not found elsewhere in the country, such faith in seven consecutive elections.
Such a bitter experience and the imposition of misery and agony on the people through attacks on their democratic rights and civil liberties cannot be allowed to repeat. During the past four decades, the consolidation of the Indian Republic has moved forward and the Indian people will not tolerate such attacks and refuse to take them lying down.
These attacks in Bengal and resistance against them must be seen as a wake-up call for the Indian people as a whole to be vigilant and rise together to ensure that such anti-democratic authoritarian trends are defeated.
(August 31, 2011)
Courtesy: People's Democracy
Monday, September 5, 2011
HUGE KOLKATA RALLY STRONGLY PROTESTS TMC TERROR
From Our Special
Correspondent in Kolkata
‘WE will not bow down to Trinamool Congress terror and the conspiracy of the West Bengal government.’ This was the slogan of the huge ‘Vidhansabha Chalo’ rally at Rani Rashmoni Road, Kolkata on August 12, where the Left leadership called upon thousands of people gathered for the rally to prepare for a series of intensive struggles ahead. The Left leadership appealed for greater struggles protesting against post-election terror, indiscriminate killing of Left workers throughout the state, fake cases against comrades, confiscation of property and incessant intimidation.
From this ‘March to Assembly’ rally, the Left Front submitted a deputation to the Governor detailing the above incidents committed by the Trinamool Congress and the dubious role of its government in this violence. The rally witnessed a huge gathering, despite incessant rains.
Biman Basu, the state Left Front chairman, said that not only the Left workers but also common people in large numbers are being assaulted and intimidated both by the government and Trinamool Congress. The government is now attacking democratic and individual rights of common people. We must launch intensified programmes to protest against such terror and anarchy.
CPI(M) Politburo member Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee calling for an immediate halt to the violence claimed that the ‘reign of terror’ had not stopped even for a day after the new government took office. “The government itself is engaged in perpetrating terror activities. Instead of taking action against the ‘Maoists’ the government is acting against us. Thirty comrades have so far been killed, houses have been looted and people evicted forcefully from their properties. Continuous intimidation is going on in different college campuses. Leaders and workers of the Left Front have been arrested after being implicated in false cases. Members of panchayats are being barred to do the mundane administrative jobs. Farmers are being prevented to till their own lands, Sharecroppers are being continuously thrown out of their lands throughout the state.”
The former chief minister accused the government of not taking any steps against ‘Maoists’ in Jangal Mahal. “The reports show the serious regrouping of ‘Maoist’ forces in those areas. They are the real danger to the state. The government instead of taking any concrete step against them is hell bent upon to terrorise Left Front activists. If the situation does not improve, the Left will develop their own ways to resist”, asserted Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee.
The Left Front chairman Biman Basu said that the government is initiating a silent terror campaign in the state. The leader of the opposition has written to the government several times but nothing has been done so far to stop the violence. Basu also criticised the UPA-II government for the severe price rise of essential commodities. He said the Trinamool Congress was a silent supporter of the economic fiasco being perpetrated in the country.
Other Left Front leaders, including leader of opposition in the state assembly, Suryakanta Misra addressed the gathering.
Courtesy: People's Democracy
Thursday, September 1, 2011
CPI (M) WILL BUILD UP MASS STRUGGLES IN WEST BENGAL
By our Special
Correspondent in Kolkata
THE CPI (M) West Bengal state committee has resolved to build up mass struggles with new vigour on peoples’ issues. The extended session of the state committee, held on August 21-22 in Kolkata, discussed the new political situation in the state and formulated Party’s tasks in the coming days.
The meeting concluded that the Party and the Left would play the role of a constructive opposition in the state. At the same time the Party will develop mass movement on issues affecting the livelihood of people. Party organisation will be remoulded to suit the existing reality. It was felt that the rectification process should be continued. The entire Party should dedicate itself to stand beside the poor people.
Party state secretary Biman Basu, concluding the two day discussion, said the ongoing attack on the Left should be resisted by mobilising the people. In building up struggles, the priority should be on class issues with a class outlook. Party committees and Party members have to increase their activities manifold. There should be increased emphasis on ideological training of the Party activists. Mass organisations are very important in this juncture and their mass activities should be widened. There is no reason to believe that the existing situation would continue forever.
Polit Bureau member Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, in his intervention said the objective situation is that the people are reeling under price rise, unemployment and various other attacks of liberalisation. Corruption at highest level has created an increasing discontent among people. The Left should be prepared subjectively to cope with the situation. In West Bengal, the Left movement has advanced through building up mass struggles though many governments have been formed and broken up from 1967. We have to continuously hit the streets. The real strength lies with the people and we have to win back those who have voted against the Left through struggles only.
The session decided to reorganise the Party at different levels.
Courtesy: People’s Democracy
LEFT FRONT MEMORANDUM TO PM - ‘INTERVENE TO RESTORE PEACE & NORMALCY IN BENGAL’
MORE than one and a half thousand sitting and former representatives of the people staged a dharna in front of the Parliament House on August 25, at the call of the Left Front of West Bengal. The aim was to draw the country’s attention to the violent attacks against the Left Front cadre, offices and houses in the state, taking place with the backing of the TMC-Congress government of West Bengal. Later a 17-member Left Front delegation, accompanied by MPs from the state, met the prime minister and submitted to him a memorandum, apprising him of the threats to the democratic system in the state.
Later, Left front chairman Biman Basu addressed a press conference at AKG Bhawan, explaining that the Left Front has not been demanding any action under article 356 of the constitution, but only that the centre must not remain a mute spectator to the attacks. CPI (M) Polit Bureau member Sitaram Yechury was also present at the press conference.
Earlier, CPI (M) general secretary Prakash Karat, CPI general secretary A B Bardhan, RSP leader Abani Roy and Forward Bloc leader Debabrata Biswas addressed the huge dharna.
On this occasion, CPI(M)’s Kerala state secretary, P Vijayan, handed over to Biman Basu a cheque of more than Rs 3.5 crore, as the “first instalment” of Kerala people’s support to the Bengal victims and their families.
The following is the full text of the memorandum submitted to the prime minister by the Left Front committee, West Bengal, on August 25, 2011.
WE have met the governor of West Bengal on May 16, 2011 and on August 12, 2011 to apprise him of the reign of terror unleashed by the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) following the declaration of the last assembly election results in West Bengal. In this connection, a delegation from the Left Front Legislature party in West Bengal also met the chief minister on June 3, 2011. Since then, the leader of the opposition has written six letters to the chief minister which proved to go in vain as there has been escalation of terror and violent attacks in the state.
We are fully aware that the law and order, as presently prevailing in the state, is primarily under the jurisdiction of the state government. However, in the background of recent developments in the left wing extremists affected areas in the southern part of the state and in the Hills, Dooars, Terai and adjoining areas in North Bengal, the present state of unrest has created distrust among the different linguistic people and is jeopardising the spirit and unity, integrity and harmony in these sensitive areas. We firmly believe that the union government cannot afford to be a silent spectator in a situation like this.
The Left Front government, when it was in office, fully agreed with your assessment of the left wing extremism as the greatest danger to the internal security of the country. There had been remarkable success in confronting this menace by the co-ordinated actions of the central and state governments, by the successful use of the joint forces. Unfortunately, the new government in the state has completely reversed this stand, thereby giving the left wing extremists a freehand to regroup and expand their area of operation much beyond what had existed ever before. The state administration, while keeping the joint forces idle, has concentrated its offensive against the leaders and workers of the CPI(M) in particular and those of the Left Front parties in general, who had been at the fore-front of the political, ideological and developmental process, in a word, multiform battle against the self-styled ‘Maoists’. Even the present ruling parties of the state are unable to carry out their political activities in those areas. Even the adjoining states have complained against the inaction of the West Bengal government in this regard.
The way the tripartite agreement has been signed on the problems of the Hills, keeping the opposition and, we believe, the PCC in West Bengal, in dark, will further complicate the situation there. Keeping on record the demand of Gorkha Jana Mukti Morcha (GJMM) for a separate state of ‘Gorkhaland’ and opening a pandora’s box by providing a high power committee to explore the possibilities for inclusion of new areas, from Dooars, Terai and Plains in the proposed Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) are clear departures from the understanding arrived at the tripartite meetings held when the Left Front government was in office. We believe, you will agree, that this will lead to discontent, particularly among the tribal and other people of the Dooars, Terai and Plains and resultantly will destabilise the situation in these sensitive areas. In view of the situation which has developed, there may be a threat to the security of the country.
In the situation stated above we are compelled to seek redressal of our grievances from you. A report of post-poll violence unleashed on the Left in this state as on August 15, 2011 is annexed herewith for your kind perusal and necessary intervention. As summary of this report reveals, 30 Left Front leaders and workers [CPI(M): 28, RSP: 2] have been killed and seven more were abetted to commit suicide during this period; 684 women were assaulted physically, 508 molested and 23 raped; 3785 persons had to be hospitalised for the treatment of injuries suffered by them and many more were forced not to lodge complaint and seek hospital treatment. There had been 2064 cases of arson and looting of houses and 14,081 persons were evicted from their place of living. Around 40,000 in total had to leave their homes under threat. To buy peace and stay in their home, people have been forced to pay money to the local AITC leaders and workers. According to a conservative estimate, total extortion amount thus paid might exceed Rs 277.7 million. A total of 758 Party, trade union and other mass organisation offices were either attacked, ransacked, burnt, forced to close or captured. 77 student union offices have been captured. Their office-bearers have been driven out, some of them forced to resign and even others denied to appear for their exams. There has been a widespread attack on the rights of the peasantry whereby 3418 ryots were denied the right to cultivate their own lands measuring about 9222.73 acres. Besides 26,838 number of patta holders and sharecroppers have been forcibly evicted from 9222.02 acres of patta and barga lands. While ‘Maoist’ and KLO militants are promised to be released as political prisoners, thousands of Left Front activists have been implicated in false cases on fabricated grounds including those instituted on the plea of the so-called recovery of arms. Even the Left Party organs have not been spared. 241 billboards displaying Ganashakti daily in public have been dismantled and thousands of its copies have been burnt and the hawkers have been beaten up in order to disrupt its circulation chain.
All democratic institutions, the panchayats, municipalities, co-operatives, different elected bodies of educational institutions have been made defunct either by attacks, intimidations or government fiats. Even in certain areas teachers, non-teaching staffs and students are not allowed to enter their institutions.
The state is in unrest. The districts affected by the terror unleashed by AITC, the jangal mahal region now made a sanctuary for the ‘Maoists’, the mounting tension in the Hills, Terai, Dooars and the adjoining plains in the North are glaring examples of this. Basic democratic rights of all sections of the people of the state are under threat. Even the INC, the partner of the ruling coalition, is not spared from these attacks. Even armed conflicts between the different factions of AITC are taking place. Anarchy has come to prevail over the rule of law. People of the state cannot be expected to remain a silent spectator in this situation for long.
We sincerely request you to take immediate remedial measures to restore peace and normalcy in the state.
Courtesy: People’s Democracy