People's Democracy

                                                                                    DELHI BLASTS

Failure OF Intelligence And Security Set Up

The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the following statement on September 14, 2008

The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) denounces the terrorist network that has perpetrated the series of blasts in Delhi which has so far claimed 25 lives and injured scores of others. That the capital has been hit by blasts which are similar to those which occurred in Ahmedabad, Bangalore and Jaipur this year, indicate that the capacity of the terrorist network to strike has not been curbed, despite claims of arresting some of the main culprits after the blasts in Ahmedabad.

Given this latest outrage in the capital, it is imperative for the central government to explain why the intelligence and security set up have failed to identify and dismantle the terrorist groups that are operating.

The Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) demands that the central government convene parliament immediately and submit a report on the matter to it.

It is evident that the main need is for an effective intelligence and investigating system which can uncover the persons behind these activities and not draconian detention laws which have proved ineffective in the past.

The Polit Bureau conveys its heartfelt sympathy to the families of all those who have been victims of the blasts.

CPI(M) Leaders  Visit Blast Victims

THE CPI(M), Delhi state committee has condemned in the strongest possible terms the serial blasts perpetrated by terrorist elements in the Connaught Place, Barakhamba Road, Karol Bagh and Greater Kailash areas in Delhi on September 13. It has urged the people to maintain calm and communal amity. These inhuman acts are aimed at disturbing communal amity in the capital and country. Succumbing to this grave provocation will only be serving the purpose of the terrorists.

A Party delegation led by Sitaram Yechury, Polit Bureau member of CPI(M) and consisting of Jogendra Sharma, Central Secretariat member, P M S Grewal, secretary, Delhi state committee and Vijendra Sharma, Delhi state secretariat member visited RML Hospital late on 13th evening and met victims of the blast and their relatives. Talking to reporters soon afterwards, Sitaram Yechury described the scenes in the hospital as heart wrenching. He expressed heartfelt sympathy with both those who have lost their dear ones in these blasts and those injured.

Sitaram Yechury sharply criticised the central government and its intelligence agencies for having failed to prevent such a tragedy despite warning signals in the form of the earlier serial blasts in Jaipur, Bangalore and Ahmedabad. He called upon the government to give utmost priority to bringing the perpetrators of this barbaric crime to book. He rejected the demand for putting POTA back on the statute book and pointed out that the attacks on parliament, Red Fort and Akshardham temple had taken place when POTA was in force. He appealed to the people to maintain peace in order to foil the sinister designs of both the terrorists and those who seek to reap communal fruits from this tragedy.

Later, on September 15, Polit Bureau member Brinda Karat along with CPI(M) and Janwadi Mahila Samity leaders from Delhi, Nathu Prashad, Ashalata, Sahba Farooqui, Albeena Shakeel and Asha Sharma visited Beadonpura, Karol Bagh to meet the families of the victims of the bomb blast. They were shocked to find that not a single official had visited the families for the last 48 hours. On the contrary the delegation was told by weeping women that they had to pay bribes to get the post-mortem of their loved ones done, they had to hire a private ambulance and there was no one to help with the cremation costs. These families belong to the Sansi tribe and are extremely poor eking out a living by street vending. The CPI(M) collected 20,000 rupees immediately and handed it over to the families for their immediate expenses. The issue is not so much the amount of money, but the callous attitude of the Congress government. The big words of fight against terrorism ring hollow with no one to help the families whose members have been killed.

Following this, the delegation contacted the union Home minister and took the family members of the victims to meet him. Shivraj Patil met them and assured them of immediate relief.