People's Democracy

Goons Attack Kisan Meet In Bengal

From Our Special Correspondent In Kolkata

IN yet another despicable attack on the opposition, Trinamul Congress miscreants attacked a meeting of the Krishak Sabha in Bhangar in South 24 Parganas on Tuesday, July 10. The goons, known to be close to Trinamul Congress strongman Arabul Islam, also attacked the Krishak Sabha leaders including former minister and sitting MLA, Abdur Rezzak Mollah, and local CPI(M) MLA Badal Jamadar. Armed with sticks and pistols, the gang hurled bombs in the area before gate-crashing into the meeting. Then they beat up Krishak Sabha activists. Mollah narrowly escaped a blow with stick while at least 12 persons were injured including the CPI(M)’s district secretariat member Tushar Ghosh. Miscreants then ransacked the CPI(M) office and smashed everything.

The Krishak Sabha was holding a meeting of agricultural workers on the price rise and discussing the ways of conducting the proposed movement when the incident took place. "Around noon, we heard bombs exploding outside. Though people got a little apprehensive, the meeting continued. Minutes later, 20-30 people pounded up the stairs and barged into our room. They warned that no meeting or rally could be organised in the area without Arabul's permission," Jamadar said. The assembled people were beaten up and pushed out from the meeting.

Former Trinamul MLA Arabul Islam has been dreaded for his notoriety and was indicted recently in the attack on a women lecturer of Bhangar College.

CPI(M) state secretary Biman Basu has strongly condemned the incident and termed it as a direct attack on democracy. The Krishak Sabha too condemned the attack and called for a statewide protest. On Wednesday, July 11, protest meetings were organised in South 24 Parganas and other districts.

A massive protest meeting was organised in Bhangar on Thursday, July 12, which was addressed by Suryakanta Misra, Gautam Deb and others. 

PAYING TRIBUTES TO

COMRADE BASU DISALLOWED

In a show of political vendetta of the worst kind, the TMC government of West Bengal created obstacles in commemoration of the 98th birth anniversary of communist leader and former chief minister Jyoti Basu, as former Left Front MLAs and ministers were barred from entering the West Bengal assembly on Sunday, July 8, to observe the occasion. This was despite the leader of opposition, Suryakanta Mishra’s request to the speaker, Biman Bandyopadhyay, in this regard. Basu’s birthday falls on July 8.

Surprisingly, the Trinamul-led government had ‘observed’ Basu’s birth anniversary on Friday, July 6 --- two days before the date, even after strong reactions from different quarters. The Left Front MLAs had therefore chosen to stay away from the July 6 event, arguing that the ruling party was dishonouring the departed leader by observing the occasion two days in advance.

What happened on Sunday afternoon was that when Left leaders reached the north gate of the assembly building, the Marshalls said former MLAs could not enter the house without permission. Leader of opposition Suryakanta Mishta then called up the speaker, Biman Bandyopadhyay, and asked him to allow the former MLAs to go inside the assembly building.

“Are the former MLAs criminals?” Mishra asked the speaker over phone while informing him that some of those who had assembled were elected way back in 1971. But when the speaker denied to entertain Mishra’s request, the Left leaders decided to garland a portrait of Basu outside the assembly building’s north gate.

This was because Left Front MLAs and former MLAs chose to pay their tributes to Jyoti Basu on the pavement outside the gates of the assembly building where a photo of him was placed. Misra stood on a chair and spoke in the occasion. He said, “Jyoti Basu was the voice of democracy. The ruling party in West Bengal is afraid of this very democracy. But we will take the ideas of Jyoti Basu to the people.” 

Describing the developments as “unparliamentary,” former speaker Hasim Abdul Halim, who also stood outside the assembly buiding, said that it was “disrespectful to the democratic norms of the house.” Halim recalled that it was here that millions had paid their last tributes to Comrade Jyoti Basu after his demise.

Subhash Naskar, RSP MLA, expressed his strong displeasure against the attitude of the ruling party.