People's Democracy

LEFT FRONT ANNOUNCES FRESH CAMPAIGN PROGRAMME

EVEN as the movement against price rise and the nuclear deal gained momentum in Bengal, the state Left Front met in the morning of July 28 at the Muzaffar Ahmad Bhavan and arrived at decisions concerning the future shape of the movements in the new political situation at the national level.

Briefing the media, Biman Basu, chairman, Bengal Left Front said that the Left Front and Left mass organisations would observe the Hiroshima Day on August 6  and the Nagasaki Day on August 9. Both programmes will form part of the anti-imperialist campaign presently in operation in the state.  The Left Front also extended full support to the August 20 all-India strike called by the sponsoring committee of all Left TUs across the country on a set of six demands touching people's lives and livelihoods. August 31 would be observed as the martyrs' day with a big convention at the Indoor Stadium in Kolkata with an expected gathering of 25,000 people.

August 11 would be observed as the centenary of the anti-imperialist martyr Khshudiram Bose's supreme sacrifice in the act of resisting the inroads of British colonialism. On September 1, the anti-war day, vast rallies would be held in Kolkata and at Siliguri on such issues as imperialism, price rise, runaway inflation, and the various anti-people and anti-poor policies of the UPA government, as well as the steady decline of the economy and of the political situation across the country, causing misery to the common people all the way.  The two cities would witness two of the largest marches complete with colourful tableaux of recent years Biman Basu told newspersons.  At least a couple of lakhs of people would march along the streets of Kolkata alone.

Expressing deep anxiety at the recent serial blasts at Bengaluru and Ahmedabad (one such blast took place cruelly inside a hospital), the Bengal Left Front called upon all democratic and patriotic people of the state to maintain vigilance.  Biman Basu added to say that post-rural polls, efforts would be going on to cement fast the unity and solidarity of the Left Front.

The Darjeeling situation, said Bimanda, had recently become crucial with violence spreading slowly but menacingly across the hill areas.  There could well be, he expressed fear, fall-out effects across the north Bengal districts out of the reckless risks Gurung's men were not unwilling to indulge themselves in.  

All ongoing attempts at segregation going on at the behest of the separatists, including the forcible application of 'GL' license prefixes in vehicles operating in the hill areas of Darjeeling etc were harmful to the integrity of the country.  There should be no breaking up of Bengal allowed, and the administration should take appropriate steps to see that peace and amity was restored in the afflicted areas as early as possible, Biman Basu concluded. (BP)