People's Democracy

THE rightist and reactionary forces are busy mounting an offensive against the Left in India as they are the main obstacle to the reactionary forces consolidating their influence. They have targetted West Bengal for a fierce onslaught through the Trinamul-BJP combine, as it is a bastion of the CPI(M) and Left forces. It is at such a time that some heinous efforts are being made to disrupt the Party.

The explanation given by Samir Putatunda for quitting the CPI(M) is false. The political-ideological differences that Putatunda speaks of, are nothing but a cover for his efforts to disrupt the Party at a time when the Left Front is gearing up to fight the Trinamul-BJP combine in the assembly elections.

Putatunda blames the CPI(M)'s tactics for the emergence of the communal forces in the country and the growth of the Trinamul Congress in West Bengal. This is nothing but slander. Everyone is aware that the CPI(M) has been, and is, in the forefront of the fight against the communal forces represented by the BJP.

The Party Programme, which contains the basic strategy of the CPI(M), was updated at the Special Conference in October 2000 after a thorough discussion at all levels in the Party. No other party in India can claim to have such intensive and democratic inner-party discussions. It is not possible in a Communist Party to challenge the programme once it is adopted after a full discussion. Putatunda sought to defy this elementary norm.

The political and ideological bases on which Samir Putatunda seeks to attack the CPI(M) are crassly opportunist and social democratic. They are completely outside the framework of Marxism-Leninism. The CPI(M) cannot and will not compromise with such trends. The secretariat of the West Bengal state committee of the CPI(M) appeals to all the Party ranks to firmly rebuff and counter such disruptive and alien trends. We are confident that the Party in South 24 Parganas district, in particular, will rally to isolate and defeat this disruptive game.