People's Democracy

 Yechury Writes to Home Minister

On Maoist-TMC Nexus in West Bengal

CPI(M) Polit Bureau Member and Rajya Sabha MP, Sitaram Yechury, has in a letter written to the home minister, P Chidambaran drawn attention to yet another serious development regarding the Maoist-TMC nexus in West Bengal. The following is the full text of the letter written on February 1, 2011. 

IN continuation of our communication on behalf of the Left parties and other secular opposition parties with you on January 6, 2011, I am compelled to draw your attention to yet another serious development regarding the Maoist-TMC nexus in West Bengal. 

Yesterday, January 31, the police forces  in West Bengal had raided the so-called relief camp run by the Trinamul Congress at the Municipal Guest House in Midnapur town of West Midnapur district.  Two Maoist squad members – Amiya Mahato and Asim Mahato – were arrested.  Both these have several cases against them.  Particularly, both of them are said to have been involved in the attack on the EFR camp in Silda where over two dozens of EFR jawans were gruesomely murdered by the Maoists.  One of them also was very close to Kishanji and acted as his personal guard and courier. 

More startling is the fact that the Trinamul Congress leadership with its local activists tried their level best to stop the police in their action to nab the wanted Maoist squad members.  Not only that, your colleague the railway minister has tried to trivialise the Silda massacre in her effort to shield these Maoist killers by disputing their Maoist credentials.

In the run-up to the coming assembly elections, the Maoist-TMC nexus has become brazenly pronounced.  Today, we have heard you speaking out against the Maoists underlining the danger they pose to democracy, peace and people’s right to life.  You have also mentioned the ghastly Gyaneswari episode which claimed 150 innocent lives.  Trinamul’s vile attempt  to defame the CPI(M) for the tragedy is repudiated by CBI  chargesheet making clear how the nexus operates.  Couple of days back, in a meeting organised by the TMC, some of the union ministers like Shishir Adhikari were also present. The media has reported the presence of PCPA activists – their banners and flags in the meeting.  We would like to recollect that on the floor of the Rajya Sabha itself, you had designated the PCPA as a front organisation of the Maoists. 

In the background of all this, yesterday’s incident sends out a chilling  message that one constituent of the ruling coalition at the centre is in league with the Maoists.  So much so that the highest leadership of that party is doing everything to aid, abet and facilitate joint operation with forces that the prime minister designates as the `single biggest threat to internal security’.

Further, the CRPF search operations in all those so-called “armed camps” as listed by the opposition in the court have revealed no “arms”.  But only people who have been evicted from their home and hearth were found in those camps who are being listed by the security forces. 

One cannot escape an uneasy feeling that the noise over the “armed camps” has helped the brazen activities of the TMC-Maoist nexus. 

This is for your kind information. 

Anticipating your response.