People's Democracy

TRINAMUL-NAXALITE-SUCI REACTIONARY ALLIANCE’ CONTINUING VIOLENCE AT NANDIGRAM

CPI(M) Calls For Statewide Campaign Against Violence And Mayhem

B Prasant

THE Bengal unit of the CPI(M) has called for a statewide campaign to posit the reality of the situation at Nandigram and to expose the waves of violence unleashed there at the behest of the Trinamul Congress-Naxalite-SUCI reactionary alliance. The state committee of the Bengal unit of the CPI(M) met throughout the day of May 6 at the Muzaffar Ahmad Bhavan.

Central committee member Benoy Konar presided over the session. State secretary Biman Basu placed a report on the central committee meeting and then explained in detail the prevailing political situation in Bengal and elsewhere. Chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee dwelt on the developing circumstances in Bengal. Industries minister Nirupam Sen spoke on the priorities of the developmental programmes. Jyoti Basu was present at the session.

The Bengal unit of the CPI(M) is of the firm view that the opposition outfits and alliances are deep in the midst of carrying out a viciously violent anti-people and anti-development campaign at Nandigram and surrounding areas. The CPI(M) has been made a prime target of the assaults. The opposition indulge with impunity in murder, physical torture, rape, molestation, arson, looting and forcible eviction of large numbers of people.

DIALOGUE AND DISCUSSION

The Bengal CPI(M) believes that the process of dialogue and discussion must be continued with even amidst adversities to becalm the situation prevailing at Nandigram. At the same time, the reality of circumstances there and the noxious role of the opposition must be unmasked and exposed before the mass of the people.

A campaign is already on statewide in favour of industrial development and against all ill-gotten efforts to destroy the fabric of peace and amity. The Bengal CPI(M) feels that the largest bulk of the people of the state, inclusive of kisans, have taken a stand for industrial development. There has been a massive and enthusiastic response to the campaign-movement of the CPI(M) across Bengal on the relevant issues.

The drive must be continued with and meetings, especially smaller group meetings and dialogues, must be continued apace in urban and rural areas and through house-to-house and person-to-person campaign work. A surge of demand appears to be forthcoming from the people of the districts for industrial growth. The people must be rallied behind this demand all over Bengal and the demand made more strident in the days, weeks, and months to come.

Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee pointed out that agricultural development was being given more stress along with the stress given to industrial growth. The schemes related to education, health, and self-reliance must be implemented with even more emphasis added.

PROGRAMMES AHEAD

• The Bengal state committee holds that various aspects of the general programme of development must not be allowed to slow down or to be hindered. All-out efforts must be made anew every day to implement the different rural development schemes and programmes for the development of Panchayat and municipal areas.

• The REGA scheme has commenced in 17 districts. The work must be supervised so that the scheme could be quickly completed in an ambience of transparency.

• A special session of the representatives of the CPI(M) who belong to the scheduled tribes would be held at Midnapore town on May 12. The CPI(M) will initiate measures for the successful organisation of the Hook festival of the scheduled tribes on June 30 with the programme put into place from 23 June.

• Five municipalities, including the Durgapur municipal corporation, go to the polls on May 27. There are also 527 by-elections for the different Panchayats and municipalities on the same day. A wide political campaign must be organised and the electoral battle won by massive margins.