People's Democracy

(Weekly Organ of the Communist Party of India (Marxist)


Vol. XXXIII

No. 26

June 28, 2009

 


LEFT FRONT APPEALS TO THE PEOPLE

 

Protest The Attack On Democracy

 

THE Bengal Left Front has appealed to the mass of the people, the democratically-conscious citizens of Bengal to come out protesting strongly, widely the manner in which the democratic fabric of the polity was sought to be destroyed by the marauding criminals of the Trinamul Congress, its allies, the Pradesh Congress, and the self-styled �Maoists.�

 

The Bengal Left Front met on the morning of June 17, 2009 at the Muzaffar Ahmad Bhavan. Subsequently briefing the media, Biman Basu, chairman, Bengal Left Front, said that right after the outcome of the Lok Sabha election was known, the forces of anarchism and disorder started a violence-laden campaign of blood-letting of the CPI(M) and the Left Front workers, all over Bengal. The Pradesh Congress forms an energetic actor in some districts in this completely condemnable exercise against the masses. The Left Front has called upon peace-loving denizens to come out with strong protests against the killings, the arson, the molestation, and the pillage.

 

Forgetting � in a gesture filled with inhumanity � the terrible cyclonic storm and lashing rain that affected the coastal districts of Bengal the most, the Bengal opposition stood as one in their self-proclaimed �punishment� mode of the people, and of the CPI(M) which has remained as ever in the van of the people�s movement for their hard-earned, hard-fought democratic rights.

 

Biman noted that it was the belief of the Left Front that in the manner and intensity that mark the attack on the democratic masses, the CPI(M), and the Left Front constituents, �we are reminded of the semi-fascist terror of the 1970s.�  The Left Front has been in office for the past 32+ years.  There has never been a single incident where the people who have not voted for the Left Front have been subjected to heinous attacks including killing, arson, looting, and plundering. 

 

The rights and the dignity of the opposition and of their supporters are held sacrosanct in Bengal under the governance of the Left Front. Nevertheless, pointed out the senior CPI(M) leader, the past decade witnessed an ill-gotten attempt by the Trinamul Congress and its lackeys to destroy the democratic fabric.

 

Between 1970 and 1977, Biman recalled, 1200 CPI(M) workers including the state committee member Jiban Maity, along with the senior Forward Bloc leader Hemanta Basu were killed, and killed brutally. Twenty thousand families of CPI(M) workers and supporters had to flee from their residences, indeed from the localities of their livelihoods as well, for agonisingly, frighteningly long periods of time. 

 

The historic election of 1977 witnessed the defeat and d�b�cle and in a comprehensive manner, of the authoritarian, anti-people forces. On the day the final outcome of the assembly election was known, the late Bengal CPI(M) secretary, Comrade Promode Dasgupta, and the much-respected Party leader, Jyoti Basu issued appeals repeatedly to the people that they should never-ever be vengeful on the criminals of 1970-1977.  As a consequence, no violence was seen in the post-polls days, weeks, months, and years.

 

The contrary has been allowed by the worthies of the opposition to happen this time around.  The opposition leadership would mutter the word �peace,� but they, including central ministers, would provoke their followers by declaring frequently that nobody would be allowed to remain in Bengal to hold aloft the Red Flag.  If this was not provocation, said Biman, �we do not know what is.� 

 

An ugly attempt is essayed to pass off as �popular rage,� the carefully, coolly, planned assaults on the people.  Assassinations are orchestrated, and it is unfortunate, most unfortunate indeed, Biman declared, that a section of the media, a pillar of democracy, was found gleeful in shamelessly supporting the attacks and the killings and the arson and the brigandage.

 

The Left Front appealed to the forces, including sections of media, that were �encouraged� at the de novo rise of neo-fascism in the state to desist from supporting these dark forces for that would ultimately harm everyone in Bengal.

 

The Left will mend their ways whenever found necessary as always, but, declared Biman, �we shall never bow low before aggression.�  �We,� continued the Left Front chairman, �may suffer from being killed brutally, but we shall always remain with the people, fighting for their democratic rights.� 

 

The neo-fascist attacks might have started as a drive against the communists and the Left movement, but it would inevitably spread its fangs and talons over the general democratic rights of the people, over their lives and livelihoods, over their honour and dignity, and finally over their social security. 

 

The Left Front also called upon the state administration to take appropriate executive steps to maintain peace in Bengal and to secure the democratic rights, and the properties and assets of the mass of the people.  

(B P)