People's Democracy

 

False Assertions by Somnath Chatterjee

 

The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the following statement on July 26

 

SHRI Somnath Chatterjee has made a number of false assertions in his forthcoming book, excerpts of which have been published in the media. It is totally wrong to say that five members of the Polit Bureau decided to expel him the day after the trust vote session of the Lok Sabha was held.

 

The decision to take disciplinary action against Somnath Chatterjee was taken at a full Polit Bureau meeting held on July 19, 2008. The Polit Bureau decided to convey to Somnath Chatterjee once more, the decision that he should forthwith resign from the speakership and not preside over the Lok Sabha session on the trust vote. The Polit Bureau concluded that if he refused to do so, he should be expelled from the Party as it would amount to helping the Congress-led government. The Central Committee of the Party which met on July 20 was apprised of the situation and it authorised the Polit Bureau to take disciplinary action against Somnath Chatterjee if he violated the decision.

 

Somnath Chatterjee had earlier in a letter to the Party dated July 9, 2008 agreed to abide by the decision of the Party and resign from the post of speakership. He later backed out from this commitment to abide by the Party decision.

 

It is unfortunate that Chatterjee has sought to draw Comrade Jyoti Basu’s name into this matter when he is no more.

 

All the other views expressed by him are just post-facto justifications of a person who defected to the ruling establishment.