People's Democracy

Bengal LF Calls For Foiling Fundamentalist Ploys

B Prasant

IN a statement issued on September 25, the Bengal Left Front has called upon the people of Bengal to maintain vigilance in the rural and urban areas to foil the designs of the religious fundamentalists to take advantage of the regrettable incident at a religious shrine near Ahmedabad. It has also called upon the people to be vocal in its condemnation of the terrible event.

The state secretary of the CPI (M), Anil Biswas, called upon CPI (M) workers to come out onto the streets to prevent any untoward incidents taking place in the state. The chief minister, Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, convened an all-Party meeting at the Writers’ Buildings to ask them to resist all attempts at creating communal disharmony. A "red alert" has been signalled in Bengal and the police ordered to increase patrolling of the towns and villages.

Briefing the media later in the afternoon, chairman of the Left Front, Biman Basu said that the Left Front would like to see every political party of Bengal coming resolutely forward to maintain communal harmony and peace. He also called for caution and discretion to be exercised by the politically conscious people of Bengal to nip in the bud any attempts at sabotage and any provocative actions by opportunistic elements and those having a stake in creating disruption.

Biman Basu said that the Left Front was of the firm opinion that the VHP-called bandh nationwide on the latest tragedy to befall Gujarat would merely serve to further complicate the communal situation all over the country.

The Left Front has brought out a large number of processions all over the state and street corner meetings have been organised to condemn the barbarous attack on a religious place and to request the people to step up their vigil.